Michiel II Coignet

Who is Michiel II Coignet?

Michiel II Coignet was a Flemish painter specialized in small paintings for cabinets.

Michiel II was born and died in Antwerp. He was the son of Michiel Coignet, the court mathematician of the Archdukes, and his second wife Magdalena Marinus. Michiel II became a successful painter and earned a comfortable living. In 1641 he was admitted, as a master's son, to the Guild of St Luke. He married Maria Salet, with whom he had at least six children: Michiel III, Maria, Cornelis and three children whose names are not known.

A number of signed and ascribed paintings of Michiel Coignet have been sold and a series of four is part of the collection of Lamport Hall. He seems to have had a workshop in which rather small and stereotype paintings could be ordered. He was also very active making paintings for cabinets and received many orders from the cabinet maker Forchondt. Subjects of these plates usually were the lives of saints. He also restored damaged paintings and despite the fact that we know that he had many of these commissions few of these small paintings have been signed and only a few paintings in cabinets are ascribed to him.