Johannes Hermans (c. 1630 – c. 1677)

• Called Monsú Aurora, was a Flemish painter.
• He is believed that he was born in Antwerp.
• Here is registered as a pupil of the obscure painter Adriaen Willenhoudt from 1644.
• He is assumed to have worked in the Antwerp workshop of the prominent still life and animal painter Jan Fijt as Hermans' hand has been identified in a collaborative painting of Fijt.
• He travelled to Italy where he was recorded in Rome in the period from 1657 to 1665 and was known as 'Monsú Aurora'.

• He enjoyed high-level patronage in Rome as is demonstrated by the commission to decorate the Roman palace of the nobleman Camillo Pamphili in 1656.

• For the commission, Hermans painted a large canvas and 38 smaller compositions depicting both dead and living animals, some set in marshy landscapes. 

• These formed part of a set of about 50 paintings with this theme.

• Hermans received 26 weekly payments for executing the commission.

• Hermans also enjoyed the patronage of the Corsini, Colonna and Imperiali families.

• He returned to Antwerp in 1665 and became a master of the local Guild of Saint Luke.

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