Johannes Baeck (c. 1600 - 1654/55), Diogenes In Search Of A Real Man

Johannes Baeck
Dutch painter
Utrecht circa 1600 – 1654/55 Utrecht
Diogenes seeking a True Man
Oil on canvas : 145,7 X 144,0 cm
Unsigned
Original wooden sculpted frame : 161,4 X 161,6 cm

Provenance : sold at Babuino Rome, 9/12/09 for 26.000 €
(+ buyer’s premium)

There are very few paintings known by Johannes Baeck, a Caravaggesque Dutch painter from Utrecht, who has also lived in Amsterdam. Our painting must date from the 1640s.

This is a popular subject in Western art: the controversial Greek philosopher Diogenes (4th century BC) walking during the daylight with a lamp, looking for a wise man on the Agora of Athens.

Our painting stands close to Baeck’s other beautiful lifesize figure piece, the Merry Company from the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna. Our composition shows more unity in comparison to the former painting seemingly falling into two halfs. Our two children leading the viewer’s eye to the adults lacks the clumsiness of the dog with which Baeck tried to link both parts of the 1637 composition. In both paintings two figures in the background have been painted more vaguely.

All my paintings stand fully documented on my website:
https://www.jeanmoust.com/categories/biblical-mythological-and-allegorical-scenes/baeck-johannes/diogenes-seeking-a-true-man-5576072