Bust Of Woman In Walnut - Antwerp C. 1660-1690, Circle Of Quellin The Younger

This walnut bust is a rare testimony to the quality achieved by the Antwerp sculpted productions of Rubens' century, long eclipsed in favor of the paintings of the Master and his workshop. These are characterized by their grace, their finesse of execution as well as their marked taste for precious details.
Here, the gentle treatment of the female face with its straight and fine nose, its half-closed eyes and its internalized expression allow the work to be brought closer to the creations of Antwerp's Quellin the Younger. With him even more than with his contemporaries, the figures present a very accomplished degree of finish, similar to that observed on our bust. His singular work is marked by the extreme finesse and ingenuity of his chisel, by the so particular port of his figures, the elegance of their pose, a certain sensuality, a refinement of details, in particular jewelry, hairstyles. and folds of fabrics. All these qualities visible on our sculpture, are also found on the cartouche with Saint Elizabeth of Hungary made by the master in Antwerp around 1660 -1690 and today kept in the museum of Cassel.