Dutch School

17th Century Dutch Old Master Oil on Panel, Ladies Gathering Flowers

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 fra...

An exceptional Dutch 18th century oil on canvas painting titled "Picking of the Flowers". The painting displays beautiful vivid colors and depicts people picking flowers in the beaut...

Allegory of summer, personified by Ceres Workshop of Hendrick Van Balen Antwerp School, early 17th century. Oil on copper, Dimensions: h. 54 cm, l. 40cm Ebonised wood frame with moulded and guilloché decoration. Framed dimensions: h. 80 cm, l. 66 cm Very good condition This finely executed oil on copper belongs to the rich tradition of allegorical and mythological painting that flourished in Antwerp during the early seventeenth century. Hendrick van Balen and Jan Brueghel the Younger were among the leading exponents of this artistic genre, whose workshops produced numerous compositions depicting the Seasons, the Elements, the Senses, and the gods of Olympus, set within luxuriant landscapes populated by animals and mythological figures. At the centre of a verdant landscape dominated by a flourishing apple tree stands Ceres, the Roman goddess of the Earth, agriculture, and the harvest. Partially draped in a flowing blue garment, she wears a crown of wheat ears, her traditional attribute. In her right hand she holds a sickle and carries sheaves of wheat, symbols of fertility and abundance. Beside her, a nymph presents a cornucopia while playful putti gather and offer flowers. The foreground celebrates the bounty of summer through an abundant still life composed of figs, cherries, apples, and lemons. A squirrel nibbling cherries symbolizes diligence and foresight, virtues echoed by the harvesters working in the wheat fields visible in the distance. The background unfolds in a profusion of vegetation: to the right, a wild rose bush rises against the trunk of a tree, while the centre is animated by majestic trees with silvery-green foliage. The artist, likely a pupil or close follower of Hendrick van Balen, draws direct inspiration from the master's repertoire. The nymph in the yellow drapery seen from behind—a recurring figure in Van Balen’s compositions—is a particularly telling example. The graceful gestures, luminous flesh tones, and wind-swept draperies further reflect the master's distinctive style. The influence of Jan Brueghel the Younger can be seen in the meticulous rendering of the trees, flowers—particularly wild roses and tulips—and in the richly detailed still life with animals in the foreground. Throughout Europe, there was considerable demand for these virtuoso compositions, in which mythological figures served as a pretext for the refined depiction of nature and its abundance. This painting is a charming and accomplished example of that tradition, combining elegant storytelling, technical refinement, and rich iconographic content. Hendrick Van Balen, Flemish painter, born and died in Antwerp (1575-1632). A student of Adam Van Noort, he entered the guild of Saint-Luc in 1593, later trained in Italy and was Van Dyck's first master. He often painted small characters taken from scenes from the Bible or classical mythology, on paintings in which Josse de Momper...

This beautiful 17th century Flemish garland painting depicts the Virgin Mary encircled by delicate flowers. She holds lilies, symbolizing her purity, whilst surrounding roses evoke h...

Oil on board painting by Pieter Jacobsz Codde, 1599 to 1678, a Dutch artist. The artwork represents an interior genre scene, a company drinking and playing cards. The artist's monogr...

The Prodigal Son Among Courtesans Attributed to Hieronymus Francken II (Antwerp 1578-1623) Early 17th century Antwerp school Oil on oak panel, Dimensions: H. 52.5 cm (20.67 in), W. 74 cm (29.14 in) Flemish-style moulded wood frame Frame: h. 78 cm (h. 30.70 in.), w. 100 cm (39.37 in.) This artwork is sold with a certificate of authenticity guaranteeing its origin, date of execution, and attribution to the artist. At first glance, this festive and joyful painting depicts a group of elegantly dressed people dancing to the sound of an orchestra in a richly decorated interior with a wide opening onto a rural exterior. However, the real theme is cleverly concealed by the painter and is only discernible through the artifice of a small scene in the background where we see a half-naked man, in the company of the pigs next to a makeshift shelter. In fact, beyond the pleasant and apparently superficial character of the painting, it is a subject taken from the parable of the prodigal son in the Gospel. The illustrated episode is the prodigal son among courtesans. Even if the viewer's attention is drawn to the central couple (prodigal son embracing a pretty courtesan) doing the dance steps, the artist takes care in a narrative approach of all the groups and ancillary scenes in order to create a rich and varied composition. Thus the musicians seated on a raised platform are depicted with great skill, their faces animated, their clothes abundantly varied. The theme of music, which has always been associated with that of sensuality and physical love, helps to exacerbate licentious pleasures. The merry company dances "Spanish pavane", a slow court dance from the sixteenth century, danced close to the ground by couples arranged in a procession, which was probably introduced to the south of the Netherlands around 1600 during the governance of Albrecht VII and the daughter of the King of Spain Isabella Clara Eugenia in Brussels. The interior of the house is also carefully elaborated, the embossed leather dyes on the walls, the middle sideboard (typical in Francken interiors), where the rich gold and silver crockery is placed in front of the painting "Andromeda chained to the rock and Perseus arriving to rescue her". The inclusion of a contemporary and probably extant pictorial work is also one of the characteristics of the Francken family, among them Frans Francken the Younger...

Jacob De Wit (Amsterdam, 1695 - 1754) attributable/ workshop Pair of Cupids with Garland of Flowers Oil on canvas 91 x 103 cm. - Framed 104 x 115 cm. Provenance: Christie's (London, Old master Painting 12.12.1996) lot 82 This magnificent composition depicts two cupids holding a garland of flowers, placed on a fine architecture with bas-reliefs and masks, presumably the top of a fountain. One of the two cupids sympathetically holds a part of it with his hands, while his head turns towards the viewer; the second cupid, on the other hand, must have clumsily broken the thread holding its end, and is sitting sullenly with a torch and a tear streaking his chubby cheek. The work, given its stylistic features and compositional taste, can be attributed to the Flemish artist Jacob de Wit (Amsterdam, 1695 - 1754), or to an artist from his workshop, with his typical triumphal and opulent style, which reveals clear influences from Rubens and Van Dijck, but also from Gerard de Lairesse...

This stunning 18th century Dutch Old Master Golden Age floral oil painting is attributed to Simon Pietersz Verelst. Painted circa 1700 it is a still life floral of a mixed flower arr...

This fantastic Flemish 17th century Old Master oil painting is by Thomas Van Apshoven. It was painted circa 1650 and depicts a village with figures outside a tavern, eating, drinking and dancing. Beyond are more dwellings, villagers and animals, all under a blue summer's sky. The detail, brushwork and vibrant colouring are superb. This is an excellent example of Apshoven's work and a typical subject he loved to paint. Provenance. Leominster estate. Wax stamp verso. Condition. Oil on panel, 22 inches by 17 inches and in good condition. Frame. Housed In beautiful gilt frame, 30 inches by 25 inches and in good condition. Thomas van Apshoven (1622– 1664) was a Flemish painter known for his landscapes with peasant scenes and genre scenes in interiors. His genre scenes depict village festivals, the interiors of taverns, village scenes or landscapes with peasants engaged in various activities, singeries, guardroom scenes and laboratories of alchemists. Some still lifes have also been attributed to him. His themes and style are close to that of David Teniers the Younger. He was born on 30 November 1622 in Antwerp as the eldest son of Ferdinand van Apshoven the Elder and Leonora Wijns. His father was a painter who had studied with Adam van Noort and had become a master of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1596. No paintings by his father are known. His younger brother Ferdinand van Apshoven the Younger became also a successful painter. Thomas studied under his father. Some sources state that he became a pupil of the prominent genre painter David Teniers the Younger. It is more likely, however, that he was an imitator of Teniers. He was registered as a 'wijnmeester' [son of a master] in the Guild of St. Luke of Antwerp in the guild year 1645–1646. He married Barbara Janssens on 22 March 1645. The couple had four children. The godfathers of the children included the painters Victor Wolfvoet...

A follower of Abraham Brueghel (Antwerp, 1631 – Naples, 1697) Still Life with Flowers and Citrus Fruits Oil on canvas 70 x 52 cm. - Framed 85 x 67 cm. The composition depict...