Theo Swagemakers artwork • painting • previously for sale Still life with oysters and lemon peels on a pewter plate

Theo Swagemakers was born into a family of industrialists. His father was a wool manufacturer, but Theo broke with family tradition by not working in the textile trade. Before going to the academy in Brussels in 1923, he learned the trade from Jan van Delft. In 1926 he continues his studies in Paris, where he regularly exhibits and soon receives commissions. After three years he returns to the Netherlands and settles in Amsterdam. Here he continues to work until a study trip to Sri Lanka in 1957 and mainly paints many still lifes and portraits. In 1952 he painted the four princesses for the Municipality of Breda, the work was presented as a gift to Princess Wilhelmina. Many portraits of Queen Juliana, and later the official portrait of Princess Beatrix, follow. In 1959 Swagemakers was appointed Knight in the Order of Orange Nassau. He also regularly captures prelates, industrialists, colleagues, friends, his wife Elly and son Victor. It is said that his oeuvre consists of approximately two thousand works, many of which are portraits, but also still lifes, landscapes and seascapes that he made during his travels. Swagemakers continued to paint until his death in 1994 in the Rosa Spierhuis.