Wooded Landscape With The Resting Of The Holy Family. Flemish School Of The 17th Century Around 1640

Oil on canvas Presented in a beautiful 17th century frame in molded and gilded wood with acanthus leaf motifs. Total dimensions: 70 x 110 cm. Canvas only: 57 x 95 cm Shortly after the birth of the baby Jesus, the Holy Family fled from Judea to Egypt to escape King Herod who was killing children under two years old (Massacre of the Innocents) wanting to eliminate the future "King of the Jews", an angel having warned Joseph in a dream. They returned seven years later, also warned by the angel of Herod's death. This subject has been treated many times by the old masters, and as you have noticed, the landscape has nothing Egyptian about it! European painters who had never traveled there, painted this scene in their daily environment. In this case a dense forest with profuse vegetation. This type of landscape with dominant green and blue tones is very fashionable in Flanders at the beginning of the 17th century, it is quite difficult to be categorical and to give a sure attribution! Nevertheless, our research allows us to propose the painter Pieter van Avont, a Flemish designer, engraver and art dealer born in 1600 in Mechelen and died in 1652 in Deurne. Pieter van Avont is best known for his religious and mythological scenes and his cabinet paintings. A motif appearing in many of van Avont's works is the Holy Family in landscapes. As was common in Antwerp art practice in the 17th century, van Avont collaborated with many leading Flemish painters, including Jan Brueghel the Elder, Jan Brueghel the Younger, Lucas van Uden, Jan Wildens, Frans Wouters, David Vinckboons, Jacques d'Arthois, Lucas Achtschellinck, Lodewijk de Vadder and Izaak van Oosten. Pieter van Avont most likely received commissions from Archduke Leopold William, Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands, as the Archduke is known to have owned a Landscape with the Virgin and Child with Angels painted by van Avont. Despite these commissions, Pieter van Avont was unable to make a living from his art and operated a sideline as a dealer in paintings and prints. Provenance: English collection in the 19th century (label on the back). Later French collection. Very good condition. Sold with certificate