Adriaen De Gryef, Courtyard with Animals, 1690, Oil on Canvas

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Description

Adriaen de gryef (leiden 1657 - brussels 1722)
signed 'a gryeff f’(ecit) - center left

farmer in the courtyard with … Read more Adriaen de gryef (leiden 1657 - brussels 1722)
signed 'a gryeff f’(ecit) - center left

farmer in the courtyard with a still life of animals and fruit

oil on canvas (dimensions (cm): 45 x 60 - in an antique frame 74 x 88)

work published in the rdk archive (netherlands institute for art history).
a farmer is depicted in the courtyard of his farmhouse, playing a flute while bringing his goats back to the farm. Around him is a rich still life of freshly harvested vegetables, some placed on a cart, two pheasants hanging ready to be cooked, and various scattered kitchen utensils.

the painting is signed, on a barrel at the lower left, by the highly regarded flemish painter adriaen de gryeff, active as a dealer in ghent and antwerp in 1687, a member of the artists' guild in 1699, and then in brussels, famous for this type of scene depicting the 17th-century flemish countryside.

the work is published in the rkd archive, along with other works by the artist, and comparison with them helps identify the common characteristics of his work. Indeed, many works, though each different, mirror our composition.

among them:
- peasant woman with a rooster in her hand
- farmyard with peasant woman and a cat in a still life
- farm still life with a man smoking a pipe on the left
- a man and a woman picking a chicken in the farmyard
- farmer's farmyard with a wheelbarrow full of vegetables, pottery, and hunting spoils
- farmyard with maid and donkey

the subject is typical of de gryeff, who specialized in small-format paintings with subjects picturesque paintings, often depicting animals outdoors, often set in rural landscapes; here the painter demonstrates his technical mastery and bold ease in depicting animals, as well as his skill as a still life painter.

these works were commonly collected by royalty and aristocrats, who loved decorating their country homes.

even today, they can be found in many illustrious collections, such as schloss schleissheim (bayerische staatsgemäldesammlungen), the kunstmuseum basel, the musée des beaux arts marseille, and the royal museums of brussels. Other fine examples in museum collections include grijef's works at the fitzwilliam museum, cambridge, and the ashmolean museum, oxford.

additional information:

the work being sold is presented in a gilded frame showing signs of restoration and comes with a certificate of authenticity and guarantee. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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