Gaspar Van Den Hoecke, Herod's Banquet Interior Scene, 1600, Oil on Canvas, Framed

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Description

Gaspar van den Hoecke (Antwerp, 1585 – 1648)
Herod's Feast

Early 17th century
Oil on panel, with gold highlights (on … Read more Gaspar van den Hoecke (Antwerp, 1585 – 1648)
Herod's Feast

Early 17th century
Oil on panel, with gold highlights (on Salome's robes and the palace curtains in the background)
56 x 80 cm, framed 72 x 90 cm.

The work, rich in details not shown here, can be viewed in full directly at the following link.

A fine oil painting on panel depicting King Herod and the beautiful Jewish princess Salome, based on an episode from the Gospel of Matthew (14:3-11), which features her as the protagonist in the story of the martyrdom of John the Baptist. The event depicted is a blend of history and legend, a myth cherished for centuries by artists of every field: Caravaggio in painting, Oscar Wilde in theater, Richard Strauss in music. In the artistic model, Salome, a young, reckless instrument of her mother's revenge, becomes the symbol of lust.
For King Herod's birthday, Salome, the attractive daughter of Herodias, his lover, performed a seductive dance for the pleasure of her guests. Her dancing was so well received that Herod promised to reward her with anything she desired, even part of his kingdom if she so desired.

The young woman went to her mother for advice, and Herodias, moved by resentment against John the Baptist, ordered her to request the Saint's head on a platter. Salome, an unwitting victim of her mother's wishes, becomes the interpreter of the Saint's murder, achieved with skill and cunning, and during the banquet she presents his head on a silver platter as a trophy. We see the King react with indignation to this situation, while the two women appear indifferent to the consequences of his action, standing at the other end of the table in a gold-colored dress with a low neckline.

In the background, on the left, the event preceding the main scene is depicted in optical synchronicity: the martyrdom and beheading of John the Baptist. This takes place inside a barren prison with barred windows, in stark contrast to the opulent setting in the foreground.

Given its pictorial quality, this splendid painting is attributable to the workshop of Gaspar van den Hoecke (1585–1648), one of the greatest masters of the early Flemish Baroque in Antwerp. His works are strongly influenced by Frans Francken, a key artist of the Southern Dutch school, and have often been confused with him due to their striking stylistic similarities.
For comparison, see the two works by Van den Hoeche:
- "The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man" (link)
- "Belteshazzar's Feast," New York, Sotheby's, January 24, 2008, lot 210 (link)

As we can see, his paintings, dominated by meticulously crafted figures dressed in loose, ostentatious robes, are rendered with intense chromatic splendor and characterized by a refined choice of pigments typical of the high-level Flemish school. The actors' studied gestures and intense facial expressions contribute to the strong narrative tension that emanates from the panel, and are rendered with extreme realism and definition.

The panel is in excellent condition and shows no significant restorations under Wood's lamp. Gilded wooden frame, not contemporary. 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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