“card Game” – Oil On Copper By Mattheus Van Helmont (1623 – C.1679), 16.5 × 23 Cm

Mattheus VAN HELMONT (Antwerp 1623 – Brussels c. 1679)

Card Game in a Tavern - Oil on copper, signed lower right - Dimensions: 16.5 x 23 cm

A charming Flemish genre scene depicting a lively card game set within a rustic interior. Four figures gathered around a table are captured in a moment of conviviality, typical of 17th-century tavern scenes. One of them, standing, raises a jug while his companions, absorbed or amused, take part in this animated and expressive composition.

This work perfectly illustrates the world of Mattheus van Helmont, an Antwerp painter specialized in genre scenes inspired by everyday popular life. Heir to the tradition of David Teniers the Younger and influenced by Adriaen Brouwer, the artist developed a personal style characterized by a lively brushwork, expressive, sometimes caricatured faces, and a keen observation of gestures and attitudes.

The copper support, highly valued in the 17th century for its smooth surface, allows for a precise and luminous execution, enhancing the fine details of faces and costumes.

A signed work, characteristic of the artist’s production, it fully belongs to the Flemish tradition of tavern scenes, highly sought after for their narrative quality and decorative appeal.

Presented in an antique moulded wooden frame.

A companion piece is also available under the same conditions, offering the opportunity to reconstitute the pair.

Comparable work (very close in style and format):

Mattheus van Helmont (1623–c.1679), Tavern Scene, oil on copper, 22.5 x 17 cm,
sold for €3,612 (incl. fees), Arcadia Auction House, Rome, October 21, 2025.

Mattheus van Helmont, sometimes referred to as van Hellemont (born in Antwerp in 1623, active in Brussels after 1679), is known for his genre scenes inspired by everyday life, particularly rural subjects. He began his career in his native city before settling in Brussels around 1674.

Initially influenced by major Flemish masters such as Adriaen Brouwer, David Ryckaert III, and David Teniers II, he gradually developed a distinctive personal style. Admitted as a master to the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp in 1645, he produced a prolific body of work including tavern scenes, lively village views, festive gatherings, as well as depictions of alchemists and craftsmen. His works are often signed or bear a monogram. His sons, Jan (born 1650) and Gaspard (born 1656), also became painters.

Public collections include:

Milan, Museo Poldi Pezzoli

Stockholm, Nationalmuseum and Hallwyl Museum

Copenhagen, Statens Museum for Kunst

Douai Museum

Ghent Museum

Budapest Museum