Mystical Marriage Of Saint Catherine By Van Thielen And Frans Franken 17th Century A

The Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine, large oil on copperby by Jean Philippe Van Thielen and the workshop of Frans Franken around 1650.
In a landscape, the Child Jesus sitting on his mother's lap puts a ring on Catherine of Alexandria's finger. Behind them, Saint Joseph watches the scene. A magnificent crown of flowers suspended from a pretty blue ribbon frames the scene.
Flemish school Around 1640. Very good condition. Modern wooden frame.
Frame 87x73 cm
Copper 69x55 cm

This magnificent oil on copper is the result of a collaboration between two of the greatest artists of the time. Van Thielen for the flowers and Frans Franken and his workshop for the characters, all in subtlety and softness.
Jan Philip van Thielen, born in 1618 in Mechelen and died in 1667 in Booischot, is a Flemish painter specializing in flower painting. He regularly collaborated with the leading Flemish and Dutch figure painters of his time. Van Thielen was the most popular flower painter in Flanders and his patrons included Diego Mexía Felípez de Guzmán, 1st Marquis of Leganés and Leopold William of Habsburg, the art-loving governor of the Southern Netherlands.
Jan Philip Van Thielen was born in Mechelen, the son of Anna Rigouts or Rigouldts and a minor nobleman named Liebrecht van Thielen. He later took his father's title of Lord of Couwenberch. He signed some of his paintings with the names Couwenberg and Rigouldts, to emphasise his status as
He left for Antwerp at the age of 13, in 1631 or 1632, to train in the studio of the painter Theodor Rombouts, the husband of his sister Anna. In 1640 he married Françoise van Hemelaer and thus became the brother-in-law of Erasmus II Quellin. The couple had 9 children. He specialized in flower painting and became the sole pupil of Daniel Seghers, the first flower painter in Flanders, in 1641. He was admitted as a master by the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp in 1641 or 1642.
He settled in Antwerp, where he remained until 1659 before returning to Mechelen where he became a member of the Guild of Saint Luke in 1660. Three of van Thielen's daughters became flower painters: Maria Theresa (1640-1706), Anna-Maria (born in 1641) and Francisca-Catherina (born in 1645). Only the works of the eldest daughter have survived, the two younger daughters having entered convents. The sisters must have been exceptional flower painters, as they were praised by their contemporary, the artist biographer Cornelis de Biedans in his Het Gulden Cabinet published in 16624. Van Thielen was his daughters' teacher and also taught a certain N. Bainville in Mechelen.
Jan Philip van Thielen mainly painted bouquets of flowers or arrangements and garlands of flowers, often in collaboration with other painters, such as Erasmus II Quellin, Cornelis van Poelenburgh or Cornelis Schut, who painted the rest of the painting. Highly appreciated, van Thielen counted several members of the Spanish court among his admirers, such as the Marquis of Leganés or Archduke Leopoldo Guillermo.

Frans Francken the Younger, sometimes also called Frans Francken II or Frenchified as François Francken the Younger, born in Antwerp in 1581 where he died on 6 May 1642, was a Flemish painter of the Spanish Netherlands. He created altarpieces and furniture panels and acquired his reputation mainly through his small and delicate cabinet paintings on historical, mythological or allegorical themes. He is the best known and most prolific member of the large Francken family of artists. Frans Francken played an important role in the development of Flemish art in the first half of the 17th century thanks to his innovations in many genres, including genre scenes, and his introduction of new subjects. He was a frequent collaborator of the leading Antwerp painters of his time such as Van Thielen.