Workshop Of Pieter Bout (brussels, Between 1640 And 1645 Or 1658 - Brussels, 1719), Party

Workshop of Pieter Bout (Brussels, between 1640 and 1645 or 1658 - Brussels, 1719 or 1689)

Village party

Oil on canvas, cm 59 x 80

With frame cm 83 x 101

This painting, probably made by the workshop of Pieter Bout, offers us a glimpse of everyday life in a Flemish village. The artist, with his ability to capture the essence of a genre scene, transports us to a distant world where simplicity and joy of living are the undisputed protagonists. In the works of Bout we can detect elements inspired by Flemish painting that we can find in artists like Jan Brueghel the Elder, also called in Italy Bruegel dei Velluti (Brussels, 1568 - Antwerp, 12 January 1625).

The date of birth of Pieter Bout is uncertain: according to the few known facts it seems to have occurred between 1620 and 1647, but more probably between 1640 and 1645, although it appears that he was baptized on 5 December 1658. The beginning of Bout’s period of activity is considered to be 1664, the year of his first dated work and it is believed that he continued to work until 1719, the year to which his last dated work dates.

In 1671 he became a member of the Saint Luke’s Guild in Brussels. From about 1675 he spent three years in Paris, where he often collaborated with Adriaen Frans Boudewijns, inserting figures into his landscapes. Probably, in addition to France, he also visited Italy. Returned to his hometown, continued his business.

Other artists with whom he collaborated, always inserting the figures in their landscapes, were Lucas Achtschellink, Dupont said Pointié, Ignatius van der Stock and Jacques d'Arthois. He painted mainly genre scenes, landscapes, especially marine, views of cities, winter landscapes, ports and beaches, historical subjects and architecture.