After Frans Van Mieris Il Vecchio, Company in an Interior, 1700, Oil on Canvas, Framed

Details

Description

Frans van mieris the elder (leiden 1635 - leiden 1681) workshop

elegant company in an interior (or 'self-portrait with his … Read more 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 - beautifully framed 80 x 72 cm)

the painting featured here embraces a genre highly prized by collectors of flemish golden age painting, which focuses on the intimate family life that flourished within the wealthy homes of the bourgeoisie of the time, in settings overflowing with ornamental detail.

the brilliance and success of these images lies in the ability to capture, like a photographic snapshot, a particular moment of everyday domestic life, through a skillful pictorial rendering that leverages great attention to detail and the play of light.

our work, in particular, draws on a famous composition by the great flemish painter frans van mieris (leiden 1635 - leiden 1681), who depicted himself in a sumptuous salon in 1675. The painting is now housed in the galleria palatina degli uffizi in florence.

also considered by ancient sources to be a masterpiece by the artist, the painting had a very long and interesting history: commissioned by cosimo iii de' medici, a great patron and collector of flemish works, in january 1674, after countless requests from the patron, it was completed by van mieris only the following year, and sold for the enormous sum of 2,500 florins.

the group of figures is a self-portrait of the painter: it's easy to make out his features in the gentleman in the background, dressed in a black velvet cloak, while the other figures, many critics believe, could be members of his family, gathered for a concert in a wealthy mansion.

the two women in the foreground, with their sumptuous dresses of satin, velvet, and precious furs, are his wife and daughter: the former holds a lute, the latter is seated, savoring wine from a crystal goblet that a child, perhaps his son, has just brought him.

in typical netherlandish style, this is a refined work, capable of creating a surprising atmosphere, immediately transporting us back in time to the golden age of the netherlands.

it's the small details that make all the difference, making each of his works unique, from the golden angel with bow and quiver hanging from the ceiling, to the little dog in the woman's arms in the foreground, and the column surmounted by an entablature carved with a classical relief. And the table on the right, covered with a green velvet drape, holds a tray of fruit, while a little monkey munches on some.

** frans van mieris the elder, elegant company in an interior
1635-1681, oil on panel, 52x40
uffizi gallery, rembrandt and 17th-century flemish paintings room

additional information:

the work is sold complete with a beautiful wooden frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic . 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



issues arising from misattribution See less