Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans (Belgian, 1816-1889) Fuchsias, 1868 Oil on canvas 32 x 25-1/2 inches (81.3 x 64.8 cm) Signed and dated lower left: Joseph Coomans / 1868 PROVENANCE: Sotheby's, New York, May 7, 1998, lot 36; Private collection, Kansas City, Missouri, acquired from the above. Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans' exposure to the excavations at Pompeii in the mid-1850s shaped the defining subject of his career. After traveling through Constantinople, Greece, and Italy, the Belgian-born artist settled in Naples, where firsthand contact with the site inspired a sustained body of genre scenes set in antiquity. Executed in the Neo-Pompeian style, these works depict intimate moments of daily life in ancient Rome as the artist imagined them. Distinguished by their elegance, vivid color, and carefully observed archaeological detail, Coomans' Pompeian paintings are marked by refined compositions and a porcelain-like finish. The present work, Fuchsias, illustrates Coomans' ability to blend historical reference with artistic invention. While the roses he depicts were abundant in Pompeii, fuchsias—a Central and South American plant—were not introduced to Europe until the late eighteenth century. Following his move to Paris in 1860, Coomans exhibited his Pompeian subjects regularly at the Salons, where they met with strong commercial success. Their popularity extended well beyond France through photographic and lithographic reproductions, establishing his international reputation. His fascination with the ancient world also found expression in his construction of a lavish Pompeian-style villa near the Bois de Boulogne between 1874 and 1877. Coomans' legacy continued through his daughters, whom he trained in his distinctive style and subject matter. HID12401132022 © 2026 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice

Sotheby’s, New York, May 7, 1998, lot 36; Private collection, Kansas City, Missouri, acquired from the above.

Lined canvas. Minor frame wear along edges of canvas. Scattered areas of craquelure, most noticeable in figure's hair. 1-inch abrasion along upper edge, most noticeable under raking light.
Under UV: varnish fluoresces green. small dashes of inpainting in dark areas of background, lower left.
Framed Dimensions 44 X 37.5 Inches