Bottega Di Abraham Brueghel, Portrait of the Greek Philosopher Diogenes with a Composition of Fruit, 1680, Oil on Canvas

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Portrait of the greek philosopher diogenes with a composition of fruit and flowers

workshop of abraham brueghel (antwerp 1631 - … Read more Portrait of the greek philosopher diogenes with a composition of fruit and flowers

workshop of abraham brueghel (antwerp 1631 - naples 1690)

oil on canvas (130 x 94 cm - framed 153 x 118 cm)

reference literature: alberto cottino, abraham brueghel 1631-1697. A master of still life between antwerp, rome, and naples, etgraphiae, rome 2022

* full details of the painting (click here)

the painting in question, of remarkable quality and artistic quality, depicts an elderly man with a thick gray beard, portrayed in three-quarter view with an intense and concentrated gaze, turned to the left. With muscular, outstretched arms, he grasps the handle of a large woven basket filled with grapes, surrounded by an opulent and festive composition of fruit flanked by floral and architectural elements.

it is a portrait of the greek philosopher diogenes of sinope (known as the cynic), as it perfectly mirrors the ancient portraits and marble busts dedicated to the great thinker that have survived to this day: classical iconography portrays him as a man with an unkempt beard, pronounced baldness, naked, and a vigorous but age-marked physique.

the context in which he is placed also perfectly reflects his philosophical thought, which preached self-sufficiency and a return to the state of nature, scorning material goods and social conventions. For this reason, his figure in the painting is semi-naked and immersed directly among the fruits of the earth, recalling the philosopher's austere lifestyle.

beginning in the mid-17th century, the fashion for these refined depictions quickly spread throughout italy, but especially in rome. The figures depicted were surrounded by settings adorned with flowers or fruit, making these works highly decorative and appreciated by the bourgeois patrons of the time.

the work stands out for its spectacular setting, from which various types of fruit emerge in all their opulence: from the gigantic, split dark watermelon, revealing its red flesh and seeds, to the striped melon, to the open figs with red centers, to the purple plums and velvety peaches, up to the two large, ripe, split pomegranates resting next to a monumental, decorated vase, from which lush, deep pink roses fall.

this is a painting of immediate beauty, combining remarkable pictorial finesse with a scenic construction that satisfies even the most discerning eye: a strong chiaroscuro contrast illuminates the man's skin and the vibrant colors of the fruit, creating a sense of abundance typical of the baroque.

the work's style, with its softly textured strokes and brilliant color scheme, combines the typical naturalism of nordic origins with the classicism typical of the roman milieu of the second half of the 17th century, to which its authorship is easily attributed.

in the volume edited by professor alberto cottino, we find a similar work to ours (which differs in only minor variations), generically referred to as "still life with fruit, architectural fragment and old man" and attributed to abraham brueghel (antwerp 1631 - naples 1697) with the collaboration of guillaume cortese (formerly rome, megna collection, image 1).

the volume also includes a further version (oil on canvas, 147 x 117 cm) sold at the cambi auction in genoa (december 13, 2019, lot 68), also attributed to the partnership between abraham brueghel and cortese (image 2 - https://www.cambiaste.com/it/asta-0377/abraham-brueghel-anversa-1631-1697-e-guillaume-187994 ).

(see last published image)

collaborations such as this, between painters specializing in still lifes and other figure painters, were very common in 17th-century rome, and brueghel benefited greatly from them in his work. Suffice it to mention maratti, baciccio, brandi, and indeed guillaume courtois, known as guglielmo cortese (saint hippolyte, 1628 – rome, 1679), with whom he established a happy and long-lasting partnership, resulting in authentic masterpieces of roman baroque painting.

it was also common in 17th-century painters' workshops to repeat the subjects of their most successful paintings several times, and brueghel is certainly no exception.

in our case, given the quality of the painting, the authorship must undoubtedly be sought in the hand of a skilled student of the prolific brueghel workshop, without completely ruling out his participation or at least his direct supervision.

the theme of still lifes of flowers and fruit with male figures is very well represented in abraham brueghel's catalogue, and in particular we can mention, for comparison, a composition of a similar subject but in horizontal format 'still life with fruit and a bearded man' (bologna, private collection) which sees guglielmo cortese as co-author for the male figure. And also the painting "allegory of autumn" (private collection). The two works are published in the aforementioned volume by cottino dedicated to abraham brueghel, on pages 82 and 104, respectively.

additional information:

the painting is complete with a beautiful antique 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



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