Sebastian Vrancx

The return form the market - Sebastiaen Vrancx (1573 - 1647)

Animated landscape with a river Oil on panel Signature central below Dimensions: 37 x 66 cm, 55 x 77 cm (framed) THE ARTWORK This painting by Kerstiaen de Keuninck presents an expansive imaginary landscape, filled with lush trees, rolling hills, and distant vistas bathed in a theatrical play of light. Dominated by a large central tree, the composition draws the viewer’s eye toward the glowing horizon, which adds depth and a sense of mystery to the scene. The landscape is populated with small figures and buildings, providing scale and inviting the viewer into the serene yet intricate world De Keuninck has created. De Keuninck’s landscapes are characterized by a dramatic use of light and shadow, lending a sense of atmosphere and grandeur to otherwise pastoral settings. His imaginary landscapes often embody a sense of fantasy and timelessness, and here, the softly illuminated foliage and shadowy recesses create a harmonious interplay of light, capturing the viewer's attention and enhancing the painting’s depth. THE ARTIST Kerstiaen de Keuninck was a Flemish Mannerist painter born around 1560 in Kortrijk and later active in Antwerp. He trained at the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke, where he registered as a pupil in 1577 and became a master a few years later. Unlike many of his contemporaries, De Keuninck did not travel to Italy, a choice that allowed him to develop a unique style influenced heavily by Flemish landscape traditions rather than Italian influences. He drew significant inspiration from Roelant Savery, Joos de Momper...

Oil on canvas Signed and dated lower right: "J. Carabin, 1886" Also with a label on the back. In Jacques Carabain's painting, the Concattedrale di San Siro emerges as a timeless beacon amidst the historic tapestry of San Remo's Via Palma van La Pigna. The canvas unveils a captivating vista, capturing the architectural grandeur of the cathedral framed...

Oil on canvas Signed lower right: “Gustave De Smet” “Geese going into the Leie,” by Gustave De Smet captures a serene moment in the Belgian countryside. The painting invites viewers to witness a simple yet captivating scene: three geese making their way towards the Leie River. De Smet’s Impressionist style is characterized by his ability to capture the essence of the moment, emphasizing the interplay of light and color to create a calm atmosphere. The geese appear to move with purpose, marching gracefully toward the water. The Leie itself is a tranquil presence, next to the water there is a solitary tree and a shed. The tree leaves and the shed...

Oil on canvas Signed lower left: “Louis Verboeckhoven” Dimensions: 53 x 70 cm, 79 x 97 cm (framed) “Ships in open water,” is an artwork by Charles-Louis Verboeckhoven presenting ...

The Musical Contest between Apollo and Marsyas, by Peter Sion (Antwerp, 1624-1695) Signed in the lower right corner P. Sion 17th century Antwerp School Oil on copper, dim. h. 53 cm, ...

Lucas Cranach the Elder and Studio 1472-1553 German Moses and the Pillar of Cloud Oil on panel Moses and the Pillar of Cloud is a bold and evocative composition that showcases the signature intense color and intricate detail of Lucas Cranach the Elder’s celebrated oeuvre. The remarkable 16th-century oil on panel by Lucas Cranach and his studio captures the narrative moment when Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and encounters God manifested through a large pillar of cloud. Moses stands at the precipice of a bridge and turns back to soldiers helping to lead the group of Israelites who huddle closely together. Cranach depicts Moses with his traditional iconography, rendering the rays of light on his head which came to be interpreted as "horns" in the translation of the Bible. Using his traditional walking staff, Moses gestures toward the pillar, seemingly acknowledging that God will protect the group as they cross the bridge to the other side, leaving exile and entering a promised land. In a nod to Cranach’s Germanic locale, he renders the figures and setting in a manner that feels decisively more akin to European aesthetics than those of the Red Sea. Soldiers wear elaborate, gothic suits of armor that recall the livery of Northern European guardsmen. The terrain appears more like a European forest giving way to a sweeping valley than the arid landscape the Israelites trekked through on their journey across the Red Sea. Though still clearly recounting a story from the Old Testament, Cranach renders the cast of characters and setting in an earthly, familiar manner. This aesthetic shift speaks to Cranach’s own changing beliefs as he found himself at the center of the Protestant Reformation. After first gaining recognition in 1505 as the official painter of Frederick the Wise, Cranach established a thriving painting and print studio in Wittenberg, Germany. Cranach was renowned for his court portraits and genre paintings and was also well known for his association with the famous protestant reformer Martin Luther, then under the protection of Frederick the Wise. As Wittenberg became a bastion of new religious thought, Cranach soon befriended Luther and played an active role in creating the printed materials that proliferated throughout the Reformation...

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 ...

The Rape of Europa By Peter Sion (Antwerp, 1624-1695) Signed in the lower right corner P. Sion 17th century Antwerp School Oil on copper, dim. h. 53 cm, w. 45 cm Moulded and ebonized...