Frans Francken II

The Adoration of the Magi, an early painting by Frans Francken II (1581 - 1682)

ca. 1610

This painting by Carlo Francesco Nuvolone, the great Lombard master of the mid-seventeenth century, is striking for its dazzling composition and the brilliant colors of Christ's tuni...

Jan van Haensbergen was a painter of the Dutch Golden Age and a pupil of Cornelius van Poelenburgh (Utrecht 1594 - 1667). The painting we are presenting is inspired by Poelenburgh’s landscapes from his Italian sojourn. The dreamlike atmosphere of this Gathering in antique ruins appealed to us. Against a backdrop of antique ruins, three draped characters (perhaps bathers) are sitting in a circle, greeting a fourth character walking towards them. Their tranquility contrasts with the bustle of the other characters in the background. They constitute a vivid illustration of otium, this leisure time that allows us to realize our full potential. With this Arcadian landscape, Jan van Haensbergen invites us in turn to leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind, to take a break, to enjoy the present moment chatting with close friends… 1. Jan van Haensbergen, a landscape and portrait painter of the Dutch Golden Age Jan van Haensbergen was born in 1642 in Gorinchem, a town in southern Holland to the east of Rotterdam. He was a pupil of Cornelius van Poelenburgh, and began by painting landscapes inspired by those of his master, in an Italianate style. Between 1668 and 1669, he was registered at the Guild of Saint Luke in Utrecht. In 1669, he moved to The Hague, where he joined the Confrérie Pictura, an artist society founded in 1656. His portraits, which became his main activity as a painter after settling in The Hague, were strongly influenced by Caspar Netscher (Prague or Heidelberg 1639 - The Hague 1684), whom he met in The Hague and whose son Constantijn became his son-in-law by marrying his daughter Magdalena. In addition to his work as an artist, Van Haensbergen was also an art dealer, probably helped by his appointment as Dean of the Confrérie Pictura, where he also teached. 2. Description of the artwork and related paintings This painting seems to us to be a kind of allegory of otium, that quiet bliss promised by Epicurus. It might even evoke an Epicurean proverb: "It is better to lie on the naked ground and be at ease, than to have a golden carriage and a rich table and be worried" . Three draped young people - two men and a woman in the background - are seated in a circle, greeting a fourth figure walking towards them, hair disheveled and body draped in a towel as if drying off after a bath, indicating the need for prior purification to fully enjoy this rest. Their nonchalance contrasts with the bustle of the various characters in the background. The composition is punctuated by successive diagonals, and opens onto a landscape on the right, with a succession of mountainous planes. This painting is typical of the Italianate works produced by Van Haensbergen in the 1660s under the influence of Cornelis van Poelenburgh...

This painting, created during Zuccarelli's stay in England, represents the decisive moment when Macbeth, together with Banquo, meets the three witches who announce that he will be Ki...

This painting has been the subject of a study by the art historian Fabrizio Dassie (available on request), confirming its inclusion in Jan van Bunnik’s corpus. In this painting, Ja...

Jan Van der Straet, known as Giovanni Stradano (Bruges 1523 - Florence 1605), Workshop of The Adoration of the Magi late 16th century - early 17th century oil painting on canvas Mea...

Adoration of the shepherds, Cercle of Ambrosius Francken, Early 17th century Antwerp school Oil on oak panel: h. 55 cm, w. 43 cm (21.65 in x 16.93 in) 17th c. ebonized and moulded f...

Oil on cupper and wooden panel . Our tender representation is from the second half of the 17th century , follower of Cornelis de Baellieur School. The adoration of the Magi flemish s...

Frans Franken III and aid, Adoration of the Magi Good condition The oil painting on wood, with a gold background, depicts an Adoration of the Magi. The Magi are dressed in sumptuous silk and brocade dresses; they wear precious hats and jewelery. The richness of their garments is in contrast with the humility of the Holy Family and of the other characters who, around curious, observe the scene. The hut is simple, made of wood and straw: above it shines the Comet, symbol of the divine event. In the distance, a group of wayfarers walk along a path that is lost on the horizon, blending into the gold of the bottom. The representation proposes a traditional iconography, in which the painter inserts some details that he lends himself to symbolic interpretations. Among these is the appearance of the Magi, who from the XIVth century differs iconographically: the wise astronomers represent the homage to Jesus of the then known parts of the world, namely Africa, Asia and Europe. To the right of the Magi, in the foreground, sits a monkey, considered a demonic creature and a symbol of lies and sin. It is depicted on the sidelines, as a defeat, next to a fragment of a classical column: ruin alludes to the end of paganism, of the old world that collapses with the advent of the new one, marked by the birth of Christ and liberation from the Original Sin. On the ruins he climbs the ivy, symbol of the immortality of the soul. The work is attributable to the workshop of the Flemish painter Frans Francken III...