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...

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...

King Solomon Worshipping The Idols, 17th Century FRANS FRANCKEN II (1581-1642) - signed sales to $6,000,000 Large 17th Century biblical account of King Solomon worshipping the Idols, oil on panel Frans Francken. Excellent quality and condition Old Testament biblical scene on a cradled panel depicting the Idolatry of Solomon, son and successor of King David. Exceptional detail and would be enhanced with a light clean. Presented in an antique period frame. Signed. Measurements: 47" x 34" framed approx Artist Biography Frans Francken II or the Younger is the third in order of descent in the Francken family tree. Born in 1581, the son of Frans Francken I or the Elder, he was the brother of Thomas, born in 1574, of Hieronymous II, born in 1578 and died in 1623, and of Ambrosius II, the last in line, who died in 1632. Hieronymous II, who died at the age of 56, is only known for his painting Horatius Cocles at Sublicius Bridge. Frans the Younger was initially a pupil of his father, who was then at the height of his career. In his father's studio he imbibed all the teaching of the tradition of Frans Floris. He also spent long periods in Italy, where he familiarised himself in particular with the masters of the Venetian school. Such study in situ enabled him to break away from the well-worn methods of Flemish Italianism, as practised by his father and uncles. It is conceivable that the young artist met Rubens, who was in Italy at the time. In 1605, at the age of 24, on his return to Antwerp, Frans the Younger became a master in the Antwerp Guild of St Luke. In 1607 he married Elisabeth Placquet in Antwerp. Three sons and eight daughters resulted from this marriage. His children made up the fourth generation in the dynasty. Better known are Frans III (1607-1667) and Hieronymus, born in 1611. The latter had a son, Constantinus (1661-1717), who marks the end of the line. The family of Francken painters runs from 1520 to 1717. As one of the most active masters in Antwerp, Frans II was appointed dean of the guild in 1614. He was also a member of the Violette, a major literary association, for which he painted an award-winning symbolic coat of arms. He was intimate with the most celebrated artists, in particular van Dyck, who executed a very fine portrait of him, judging by the engraving by Willem Hondius and Pieter de Jode. It is also likely that he was on familiar terms with Rubens who was his near contemporary. He died in Antwerp on 6 May 1642 at the age of 61, outlived by both Rubens and van Dyck. The first securely dated work of Frans the Younger is Christ on the Cross from the gallery in Vienna, painted in 1606. Witches' Sabbath (Vienna) and The Works of Mercy (Antwerp) are dated 1607 and 1608 respectively. In these two latter works the painter proves himself adept at painting figures and allegorical scenes. The Works of Mercy represents various groups of figures, symbolising the different activities inspired by Christian charity. Paupers and beggars occupy the foreground, the ensemble being dominated by the figure of the glorious Christ. While Frans the Younger cannot be compared with the masters of this great first generation of Antwerp, which was illuminated and steered by the genius of Rubens, he does nevertheless merit attention. He succeeded in developing and bringing into fashion an anecdotal genre on a more modest scale, elements of which were to inform the last representatives of the Francken family for over a century. Frans the Younger was undoubtedly the most talented draughtsman in the family. While his art may be criticised for its lack of grandeur and solemnity, the execution shows great talent. His brush stroke was vigorous and his imagination, albeit restrained, was brilliant. His interest in tonal values was highlighted by his study and appreciation of his remarkable contemporaries. This enabled him to carry out landscapes and also fleshy figures, which made him altogether worthy of the brilliant period to which he belonged. While detail certainly preoccupied him, he treated it with intelligence and even esprit, as witnessed in The Parable of the Prodigal Son and A Prince's Visit to the Treasury of a Church(both in the Louvre). The scenes painted in grisaille, which surround the principal motif of the Prodigal Son, are characteristic of his style. He excelled in painting jewellery, ornaments, and textiles with shot silk effects. A large number of his figures inhabit the neutral backgrounds of the interiors of apartments and galleries. He carried out such work not only under his own auspices, but also for other artists, such as Peeter Neeffs, van Bassen, Josse de Momper...

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...