Antwerp School, “virgin And Child,” Oak Panel, Ca. 1600
Country: Belgium
City: Antwerp
Date: circa 1600
Subject: Here is some information about this beautiful work by a master of the Flemish school (I want to be as accurate as possible regarding the work’s authorship; historical context: The motif of the Child leafing through a book (probably the Bible) on the lap of his Mother, the Virgin Mary, is a motif frequently found in the work of the painter Quinten Matsijs (Leuven 1465/66 – Antwerp 1530), whose work in Antwerp was so significant that he was considered ‘the founding father of Antwerp painting.’ There are three examples of his work featuring this motif at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels, namely inventory numbers 1497, 6647, and 377 (see the 1984 inventory catalog of old master paintings, pp. 186–187), with the latter two compositions being the closest to your painting. The six-pointed star mark belongs to an anonymous panel maker who was clearly active in Antwerp during the first half of the 17th century. Given the presence of the Antwerp castle and hands marks, the panel even dates from after December 11, 1617, when these marks were required as indicators of the wood’s quality. Your panel is therefore clearly from Antwerp and from that later period. The survival of compositional schemes and motifs from earlier times into the 17th century illustrates the conservative trend that was still very much alive at that time.
Medium: oil on oak panel
Bearing the wheel mark on the back (see photo)
In its original condition
* On view at 'Sablon Antiques Center,' 39 Place du Grand Sablon, 1000 Brussels
City: Antwerp
Date: circa 1600
Subject: Here is some information about this beautiful work by a master of the Flemish school (I want to be as accurate as possible regarding the work’s authorship; historical context: The motif of the Child leafing through a book (probably the Bible) on the lap of his Mother, the Virgin Mary, is a motif frequently found in the work of the painter Quinten Matsijs (Leuven 1465/66 – Antwerp 1530), whose work in Antwerp was so significant that he was considered ‘the founding father of Antwerp painting.’ There are three examples of his work featuring this motif at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels, namely inventory numbers 1497, 6647, and 377 (see the 1984 inventory catalog of old master paintings, pp. 186–187), with the latter two compositions being the closest to your painting. The six-pointed star mark belongs to an anonymous panel maker who was clearly active in Antwerp during the first half of the 17th century. Given the presence of the Antwerp castle and hands marks, the panel even dates from after December 11, 1617, when these marks were required as indicators of the wood’s quality. Your panel is therefore clearly from Antwerp and from that later period. The survival of compositional schemes and motifs from earlier times into the 17th century illustrates the conservative trend that was still very much alive at that time.
Medium: oil on oak panel
Bearing the wheel mark on the back (see photo)
In its original condition
* On view at 'Sablon Antiques Center,' 39 Place du Grand Sablon, 1000 Brussels
6 500 €
Period: 17th century
Style: Renaissance, Louis 13th
Condition: En l'etat
Material: Oil painting on wood
Length: 77 cm
Height: 103 cm
Reference (ID): 1790198
Availability: In stock
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