early life and training thomas willeboirts bosschaert, a prominent figure in the dutch golden age, was born in bergen op zoom in 1613. his family, of catholic origin, had relocated to this region in the late sixteenth century. in 1628, bosschaert moved to antwerp, where he entered the studio of gerard seghers for an extensive eight-year apprenticeship. this formative period laid the groundwork for his future artistic endeavors. artistic career and affiliations in 1636 or 1637, bosschaert became a citizen of antwerp and joined the prestigious guild of st. luke, a significant milestone in his c…