Elegant Company In An Interior, Frans Van Mieris (leiden 1635–1681), Workshop

Frans van Mieris the Elder (Leiden 1635 – Leiden 1681) Workshop

Elegant Company in an Interior (or “Self-Portrait with His Family”)

Oil on canvas (50 x 41 cm. – In a beautiful frame, 80 x 72 cm.)

Complete details of the work (click HERE)

The painting on offer belongs to a genre highly prized by collectors of Flemish painting from the “Golden Age,” which centers on the intimate family atmosphere found within the opulent homes of the bourgeoisie of the time, in settings brimming with ornamental details.

The genius and success of these images lie in their ability to capture, much like a photograph, a specific moment of everyday domestic life through a masterful painterly rendering that emphasizes meticulous attention to detail and the play of light.

Our work, in particular, is based on a famous composition by the great Flemish painter Frans van Mieris (Leiden 1635 – Leiden 1681), who, in 1675, depicted himself in a sumptuous drawing room. The painting is now housed in the Palatine Gallery of the Uffizi in Florence (https://rkd.nl/images/251443) **.

Considered a masterpiece by the artist even by ancient sources, the painting has a very long and interesting history: commissioned by Cosimo III de’ Medici, a great patron and collector of Flemish works, in January 1674, after countless reminders from the patron, it was completed by van Mieris only the following year and sold for the enormous sum of 2,500 florins.

The painter’s self-portrait can be recognized among the group of figures: it is easy to make out his features in the gentleman in the background dressed in a black velvet cloak, while the other figures, in the opinion of many critics, may be members of his family, gathered for a concert inside a lavish stately home.

The two women in the foreground, with their sumptuous gowns of satin, velvet, and precious furs, could be the artist’s wife and a daughter: the first is holding a lute, while the second, seated, is savoring wine from a crystal goblet that a young boy—perhaps her son—has just brought her.

In the artist’s characteristic style, we are presented with a refined work capable of creating a striking atmosphere, instantly transporting us back in time to the Golden Age of the Netherlands.

It is the small details that make the difference, making each of his works unique—from the golden cherub with a bow and quiver hanging from the ceiling, to the little dog in the arms of the woman in the foreground, to the column topped by an entablature carved with a classical-themed relief. And then there is the table on the right, covered with a green velvet cloth on which rests a tray of fruit, while a little monkey is munching on a few pieces.

** Frans van Mieris the Elder, Elegant Company in an Interior
1635–1681, Oil on panel, 52x40
Uffizi Gallery, Rembrandt and 17th-Century Flemish Painters Room

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The work is sold complete with an attractive wooden frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

We handle and arrange the shipping of purchased works, both within Italy and internationally, through professional and insured carriers.

You can also view the painting at our gallery in Riva del Garda; we would be delighted to welcome you and show you our collection of artworks.

Please feel free to contact us, with no obligation, for any additional information.

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