Banquet In A Park. Christoffel Jacobsz Van Der Laemen (1606-1651)

Oil on parqueted oak panel. Note the presence of the panel maker's mark and the Antwerp hand. Beautiful old frame in molded and blackened wood with a golden border. Total dimensions: 70 x 94 cm. The panel alone: 51 x 75 cm On this banquet or meeting of friends, the painter describes the scene in a park where a table has been set near the castle and this in relation to the iconography of the “Garden of Love ". But the arrangement of the dishes and the crockery, as in the Flemish still lifes, allows a double reading and also to see a vanity. The knife balanced on the edge of the table reminds us that everything is ephemeral. The high plastic quality, the fluidity of the execution and the finesse of the colors make us argue in favor of an autograph execution, and an intervention by the workshop for certain elements. Because for this subject, the painter took it up several times. With variations, different background decoration, addition or removal of characters. It must be believed that there was a strong demand from collectors at the time... In the 18th century, these subjects were criticized for being too licentious. Christoffel Jacobsz van der Laemen, is a Flemish artist, he was born in Brussels in 1606 and died in Antwerp on September 22, 1651. Son of the painter Jacob van der Lamen (1584-1624) and Anne Dirickx, Christoffel, learned the trade of painter with Frans Francken known as the Younger (1581-1642) and in turn transmitted his knowledge to Jérôme Janssens known as the Dancer (1624-1693). In 1636, documents attest to his registration with the guild of Saint-Luc in Antwerp. In 1642, he married Maria Michielsen, at her wedding were the painter Paul Rijckaert and the priest Adriaen Michielsen who were witnesses. Very quickly, Christoffel specialized in painting genre scenes known as Gezelschappen (Merry Companies). These subjects represent meetings of friends celebrating, playing music or dancing. It must be said that this type of scene is quite innovative in Flanders, while they are commonly painted in the United Provinces, where David Vinckboons, Dirck Hals, Pieter Codde, Anthonie Palamedes, Jan Steen, among others, have produced numerous paintings on these subjects. He works in a rapid and flexible pictorial style, with thick impasto. A sfumato effect highlights the characters represented. Christoffel Jacobsz van der Lamen is sometimes criticized today for having produced too much throughout his career. **Among the corpus of “merry companies” executed by Christoffel Jacobsz van der Laemen, our painting stands out for its quality which makes it a particularly successful work. Related works: Mr. EA Donnan Jr., Greenwich, Connecticut. Anonymous dirty; Sotheby's, New York, March 14, 1980, lot 7 Beautiful state of conservation. Sold with certificate of expertise.