A 17th c. Italian school, Capriccio with the Colosseum, circle of V. Codazzi

Adam-Frans van der Meulen (Bruxelles, 1632 - Paris, 1690) Louis XIV and his army at the crossing of the Rhine 12 June 1672 Signed A.F VANDERMEULEN at the right low corner Oil on can...

Rest during the Flight into Egypt - The Virgin and Child with St. John the Baptist and the angels in a Landscape. Attributed to Pieter Van Avont (1600-1652) 17th century Antwerp School, circa 1630 Oil on oak panel, Dimensions: h. 38 cm, w. 50 cm (14.96 in x 19.68 in) Flemish style frame in ebonized and moulded wood Framed: h. 56 cm, w. 68.5 cm (22.04 in. x 26.97 in.) In the heart of a lush wooded landscape, the Virgin with Jesus rests in a green clearing accompanied by Saint John the Baptist and the cherubs. Seated to the left of the composition, the Virgin Mary holds the Child on her lap; the little Saint John the Baptist wearing the camel-skin tunic (his attribute) stands before Jesus to exchange a few caresses. On the right, the couple of cherubs are playing with the lamb of Saint John the Baptist, bringing a jovial character to the scene. A pair of gardening putti on the left pick flowers to bring bouquets to the Virgin and Jesus. Spring flowers such as tulips, daffodils and anemones that grow abundantly around them and enrich the composition with their shimmering colors. A lush rose bush blooms to the left of the figures offering delicate roses. (The rose is the flower associated with the Virgin Mary, who is the "mystical rose," the one that does not bear the "thorn of sin") At the feet of the Virgin are bunches of grapes (symbol of the future passion of Christ) as well as apples (symbol of the original fall of Man but also of the Redemption in Christ) In the foreground we find a wicker basket filled in profusion with beautiful flowers and guinea pigs nibbling on the blades of grass. In a cleverly arranged disorder, these elements of the still life with their strong symbolic power accentuate the religious theme, but are also an opportunity for the artist to demonstrate his know-how in the still life genre that is gaining momentum in Antwerp. The landscape behind the figures consists of a large tree with a twisted trunk and a luminous opening to the horizon placed on the right. We see Saint Joseph arriving with a donkey, a small reminder from the artist that the composition is associated with the episode of Rest during the flight into Egypt. The calm expanse of this bucolic forest opening onto the luminous distance, with its profusion of symbolic flowers and fruits, is particularly suited to this sacred scene. The theme of Jesus' sacrifice and his tragic fate is mitigated by cherubs who play with innocence and carelessness in the face of the fragility of life symbolized by cut flowers. The great mastery of the painter is manifested by the finesse of the drawing enhanced by the delicacy in the application of the brushstrokes bringing a multitude of details. The richness of the whole is exacerbated thanks to the choice of colours, this varied palette is an undeniable asset of our work. The virtuosity of our artist lies in his versatility, as much concerned with the success of the landscape and flowers as with the modelling of his figures. The cherubs with their naked bodies are gracefully illuminated by warm colours with subtle shadows, while the still life is rendered with astonishing realism, both in the precision of the drawing and in the countless shades of the flowers. There are several compositions similar to ours, of which below are the closest versions: • Sale, Jean-Claude Anaf et Associés, Lyon, 08/02/1998, attributed to Pieter Van Avont, oil on panel, h. 48 cm, l. 71 cm (recorded on RKD n° 31451). Comment: identical composition, only St Joseph with the donkey is different) • Christie's New York sale, 29/01/1998, Pieter Van Avont, oil on copper, h. 23.8 cm, w. 24.8 cm • Dorotheum sale, Vienna, 25/04/2017, Pieter Van Avont and Jan Breughel II, oil on copper, h .26 cm, w. 39 cm • Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia, Pieter Van Avont, oil on panel, h. 50.5 cm, w. 71.7 cm Peter van Avont, Flemish painter (Mechelen, 1600 - Antwerp. 1652) Born in Mechelen, he is mentioned in 1620 as a member of the painters' guild of his hometown. He left in 1 622 for Antwerp, where he was also a member of the guild. He collaborated with many painters, including Jan Brueguel the Younger, David Vinckboons, Lucas van Uden...

Workshop of Jan Brueghel the Younger (1601-1678) & Hendrick van Balen (Antwerp, 1575 – 1632) 17th century Antwerp School The Virgin and Child ...

Crossing of the Red Sea Workshop of Frans Francken II (1581-1642) 17th century Antwerp School Oil on oak panel Dimensions: h. 49.5 cm, w. 64.5 cm (19.49 in x 25.39 in) Moulded and blackened wooden frame with wide mouldings, with inverted profile from the later period. Framed dimensions: h. 82 cm, w. 97 cm (32.28 x 38.19 in) Our panel illustrates one of the episodes of the Old Testament, recounted in the book of Exodus. After crossing the Red Sea...

Studio of Jan Brueghel the Younger 17th century Antwerp school Oil on oak panel, h. 37 cm, w. 49 cm Tortoiseshell veneered baroque style frame...

Adriaen van Stalbemt (Antwerp, 1580-1662) Allegory of Peace and War, circa 1620-1630 Oil on oak panel: h. 49.5 cm, l. 73.2cm (19.29 x 28.74 in) Giltwood frame with laurel leaves, Lo...

Simone Cantarini (Pesaro 1612 - Verona 1648) Adoration of the Magi Oil on paper applied to canvas, cm. 16,5 x 24 – with frame cm. 22 x 29 Antique sh...

Dutch/English artist Abraham Hulk the Younger (1851-1922) is most known for landscapes of the British countryside. This work is one of a pair (the second work is also available by s...

English School, early 20th century signed oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas: 17 x 24 inches provenance: private collection, Eng;and condition: good and sound condition, minor ...

The Battlefield of Waterloo English School, 19th century original oil painting on canvas, framed canvas: 12 x 15.5 inches framed: 17.5 x 20.5 inches condition: overall very good and presentable, some former restoration and signs of retouching visible. provenance: from a private collection A very rare and historically important early painting, depicting the Waterloo battle...

The Winter Landscape Dutch School, 19th century oil painting on canvas, framed framed: 22 x 28 inches canvas: 16.5 x 23 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition: very goo...

The Military Encampment French Old Master, circa 1700 oil on canvas, framed framed: 20 x 27 inches canvas: 17.5 x 24 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very goo...