Attributed To Louis De Caullery (1582 – 1621) Feast With Venus

Banquet with Venus
Attributed to Louis de Caullery (Caullery, 1582 – Antwerp, 1621)
Antwerp School of the early 17th century
Oil on oak panel: h. 36.5 cm, l. 53.5cm
Dutch style molded ebonized wood frame
Framed dimensions: h. 60 cm, w. 80cm

Ravishing scene of a gallant meeting taking place in a castle park, where many guests feast in the presence of the goddess of love Venus.
The elegant company is seated in the shade of the trees reveling in wine, delicious food and music. To the sounds of violins and lute is added the trickling of a fountain.
The elegant and richly dressed figures in Renaissance fashion receive a guest of honor Venus with her son Cupid at her feet. The goddess is depicted naked, partially covered with a large pink cloak.
The presence of the ancient deity supports the theme of the painting which is courtly love.
This subject stems from medieval iconography of the "garden of love" type and is taken up and brought back into fashion by Antwerp painters of the genre (Sebastien Vrancx, David Vinckboons and Louis de Caullery): gallant assemblies made up exclusively of the upper bourgeois celebrates love and joie de vivre.
The tangy palette of intense pinks and all shades of green, the numerous small figures meticulously executed, the vibrant rendering of the costumes, all its characteristics are specific to the works of Louis de Caullery, who liked to depict small elegant figures richly dressed in lush landscapes or rich palace interiors.
Related works:
• Scène galante, Christie's Amsterdam, November 5, 2003, oil on panel (50 x 42 cm)
• Figures in a garden near the canal, Christie's New York, January 26, 2005 (54 x 74.9 cm)
• Tribute to Venus, Sotheby's New York, June 6, 2012, oil on panel (33.7 x 44.5 cm)