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Hieronymus Francken II The prodigal son among...

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19500 EUR

Hieronymus Francken II The prodigal son among the courtesans Attributed to Hieronymus Francken II (Antwerp 1578-1623) Early 17th century Antwerp school Oil on oak panel, Dimensions: h. 52.5 cm, w. 74 cm. Flemish-style frame in molded wood Framed : h. 78 cm, l. 100 cm At first glance, this festive, joyous painting depicts a group of elegantly dressed people dancing to the sound of an orchestra in a richly decorated interior opening onto a rural exterior. However, the real theme is cleverly concealed by the painter, and can only be discerned through the artifice of a small scene in the background showing a half-naked man in the company of pigs next to a makeshift shelter. And so it is that, over and above the painting's pleasant and apparently superficial character, it is a subject taken from the Gospel parable of the prodigal son. The episode illustrated is the prodigal son among the courtesans. Although the viewer's attention is drawn to the central couple (prodigal son embracing a pretty courtesan) doing the dance steps, the artist's narrative approach takes care of all the groups and ancillary scenes to create a rich and varied composition. The musicians on a raised platform are depicted with great skill, their faces animated, their clothes abundantly varied. The theme of music, always associated with sensuality and physical love, helps to exacerbate licentious pleasures. The merry company dances "Pavane d'Espagne", a slow 16th-century court dance, danced close to the ground by couples arranged in procession, which was probably introduced to the southern Netherlands around 1600 during the governance of Albrecht VII and the daughter of the Spanish king Isabella Clara Eugenia in Brussels. The interior of the house is also meticulously crafted, with embossed leather stains on the walls, the middle buffet (typical of Francken interiors), where rich gold and silver crockery is placed in front of the painting "Andromeda chained to the rock and Perseus arriving to free her". The inclusion of a contemporary and probably existing pictorial work is also a characteristic of the Franckens, among whom Frans Francken the Younger is particularly well known for his numerous cabinet interiors. In the left foreground, a table laden with fine food and precious crockery indicates the banquet that took place before the dance. The painter places several objects whose symbolism serves to reinforce the decay and abuse: glasses filled with wine (drunkenness), a knife whose handle tilts unbalanced at the edge of the table (instability), open oysters (the image of carnal pleasure), a lemon (a life begun: symbolizing the bitterness of passing time). Finally, in the third shot on the left, two men standing, wrapped in capes, watch the whole scene. We can easily imagine two bandits arriving to steal the prodigal son's money, weapons hidden under their coats. However it turns out, the prodigal son will end up ruined, even to the point of losing his shirt, and this is how the painter depicts him in the background: kneeling among the pigs, he seems to reflect on his downfall and decides to return to his father. In reality, the Gospels are very discreet about the details of the young man's debauched life as he squandered his inheritance, yet there's a whole tradition in Antwerp painting from the 16th century onwards of depicting the prodigal son's debauchery with complacency: eating, drinking, gambling, courtesans. This technique turned a religious subject into a secular one. Constantly in the spirit of moralizing, the story of the Prodigal Son also serves as a pretext for pointing out licentious and amoral behavior. The degradation embodied by the expulsion from the brothel and life among the pigs are always relegated to the background. The foreground, meanwhile, focuses on the pleasures of music, dance and the flesh. Sin is absolute! The Franckens' style of depicting ball scenes in an interior is said to have originated with Hieronymus I Francken (c. 1540-1610), who worked at the French court in the late 16th century and was inspired by the many balls held there. His nephews, Frans Francken II and Hieronymus Francken II, drew inspiration from their uncle's compositions, adapting the ball scenes to their Flemish clientele and integrating biblical morality against excess into their works. Related works : Some works are very similar to our painting, with a few slight variations in decor or h

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