Ahasuerus and Hamas at the Feast of Esther, 17th Century

Portrait Of A Lady In A Fur Lined Hood, 19th Century by Gustave Jean Jacquet (French, 1846-1909) sales to $450,000 Large 19th Century portrait of a la...

Madonna & Child St Jerome St Francis, Archangel Michael, St John, Triptych 15th Century follower of BENVENUTO DI GIOVANNI (1436-1518) Sienese School Large 16th Century Italian Ren...

By The Light Of The Lantern, 19th Century European Oreintalist School Large 19th Century European Orientalist portrait of a woman at night illuminated by her lantern, oil on panel....

The Blood Of Christ, The Milk Of The Madonna, 16th Century circle of Adriaen Isenbrandt (1480-1551) Huge 16th Century Flemish old Master depiction of...

King Solomon Worshipping The Idols, 17th Century FRANS FRANCKEN II (1581-1642) - signed sales to $6,000,000 Large 17th Century biblical account of King Solomon worshipping the Idols, oil on panel Frans Francken. Excellent quality and condition Old Testament biblical scene on a cradled panel depicting the Idolatry of Solomon, son and successor of King David. Exceptional detail and would be enhanced with a light clean. Presented in an antique period frame. Signed. Measurements: 47" x 34" framed approx Artist Biography Frans Francken II or the Younger is the third in order of descent in the Francken family tree. Born in 1581, the son of Frans Francken I or the Elder, he was the brother of Thomas, born in 1574, of Hieronymous II, born in 1578 and died in 1623, and of Ambrosius II, the last in line, who died in 1632. Hieronymous II, who died at the age of 56, is only known for his painting Horatius Cocles at Sublicius Bridge. Frans the Younger was initially a pupil of his father, who was then at the height of his career. In his father's studio he imbibed all the teaching of the tradition of Frans Floris. He also spent long periods in Italy, where he familiarised himself in particular with the masters of the Venetian school. Such study in situ enabled him to break away from the well-worn methods of Flemish Italianism, as practised by his father and uncles. It is conceivable that the young artist met Rubens, who was in Italy at the time. In 1605, at the age of 24, on his return to Antwerp, Frans the Younger became a master in the Antwerp Guild of St Luke. In 1607 he married Elisabeth Placquet in Antwerp. Three sons and eight daughters resulted from this marriage. His children made up the fourth generation in the dynasty. Better known are Frans III (1607-1667) and Hieronymus, born in 1611. The latter had a son, Constantinus (1661-1717), who marks the end of the line. The family of Francken painters runs from 1520 to 1717. As one of the most active masters in Antwerp, Frans II was appointed dean of the guild in 1614. He was also a member of the Violette, a major literary association, for which he painted an award-winning symbolic coat of arms. He was intimate with the most celebrated artists, in particular van Dyck, who executed a very fine portrait of him, judging by the engraving by Willem Hondius and Pieter de Jode. It is also likely that he was on familiar terms with Rubens who was his near contemporary. He died in Antwerp on 6 May 1642 at the age of 61, outlived by both Rubens and van Dyck. The first securely dated work of Frans the Younger is Christ on the Cross from the gallery in Vienna, painted in 1606. Witches' Sabbath (Vienna) and The Works of Mercy (Antwerp) are dated 1607 and 1608 respectively. In these two latter works the painter proves himself adept at painting figures and allegorical scenes. The Works of Mercy represents various groups of figures, symbolising the different activities inspired by Christian charity. Paupers and beggars occupy the foreground, the ensemble being dominated by the figure of the glorious Christ. While Frans the Younger cannot be compared with the masters of this great first generation of Antwerp, which was illuminated and steered by the genius of Rubens, he does nevertheless merit attention. He succeeded in developing and bringing into fashion an anecdotal genre on a more modest scale, elements of which were to inform the last representatives of the Francken family for over a century. Frans the Younger was undoubtedly the most talented draughtsman in the family. While his art may be criticised for its lack of grandeur and solemnity, the execution shows great talent. His brush stroke was vigorous and his imagination, albeit restrained, was brilliant. His interest in tonal values was highlighted by his study and appreciation of his remarkable contemporaries. This enabled him to carry out landscapes and also fleshy figures, which made him altogether worthy of the brilliant period to which he belonged. While detail certainly preoccupied him, he treated it with intelligence and even esprit, as witnessed in The Parable of the Prodigal Son and A Prince's Visit to the Treasury of a Church(both in the Louvre). The scenes painted in grisaille, which surround the principal motif of the Prodigal Son, are characteristic of his style. He excelled in painting jewellery, ornaments, and textiles with shot silk effects. A large number of his figures inhabit the neutral backgrounds of the interiors of apartments and galleries. He carried out such work not only under his own auspices, but also for other artists, such as Peeter Neeffs, van Bassen, Josse de Momper...

Portrait Of A Queen Elizabeth I Of England (1533-1603), 16th Century circle of NICHOLAS HILLAIRD (1547-1619) 16th Century English court portrait...

Erik van Elven Free Spirit 70 x 50 cm Oil on dibond ( panel ) Framed 78 x 58 cm ( This frame is included in the price ) Erik van Elven did build a wonderful career as an artist in H...

This British artist is new to the Netherlands, her work is now a household name in the rest of the world. We understand why. A painting by Pam Hawkes is something remarkable. At th...

Oil paint on wood panel Unique work Hand-signed on the back by the artist

Oil paint, collage and mixed media on panel Unique work Hand-signed lower right by the artist

Oil on panel

ARTIST STATEMENT I'm currently working with figures and portraits and combine human forms with botanicals to explore our relationship with natural elements. Capturing the movement of the figure or an expression of a living soul presents endless possibilities and inspiration enabling me to blend with different themes. I've studied classical methods of oil painting with a focus on the 17th century Dutch Masters. The subjects I am drawn to are individuals with character, athletic figures and blooming floral arrangements with elegance and ethereal beauty. The reference for my work comes from my direct observation of natural day light in my north light studio illuminating and blanketing the form of my subjects. I am fascinated and challenged by the process of transforming a flat, blank canvas into the illusion of dimensional form, atmosphere and mood. That process is usually well thought out but sometimes painted direct and use intuition to complete my idea. Both of these methods present challenges but each way fills the void of the other and opens up the possibility of new visual ideas to meet my objective. BIOGRAPHY For Michael Van Zeyl, portraiture is much more than a one-sided translation of the artist’s point of view taking form in a subject. It’s an engaging visual dialogue that renders a soul in light, shadow and pigment, continuing the conversation for future generations to appreciate. While subtle observation and technical skill are only part of Michael’s gift, his experience has honed his craft to the highest standard. His talents were apparent by age seven and he spent subsequent decades mastering a wide range of painting techniques. In particular, 17th century Dutch and 19th century impressionist styles have resonated with him and surfaced in his own works. His formal training began at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, continuing on at Chicago’s Historic Palette & Chisel Academy and the Art Students League in New York, where he studied with the most accomplished artists who also paint directly from life under natural light. Michael is currently a faculty and board member at the Palette & Chisel and has been the club’s most popular instructor for several years. Michael’s work is already appreciated in many public and private collections, such as the United States District Court, University of Chicago, DePaul University School of Law, Chicago Theological Seminary and American Hotel Register. He has received awards from the Portrait Society of America, The Artists Guild, the Oil Painters of America and the 2014 recipient of the Dorothy Driehaus Mellin Fellowship for Midwestern Artists. EDUCATION 1987-1990 American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL 1999-2000 American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL - Life Drawing & Oil Painting Palette & Chisel Academy, Chicago, IL - Painting & Life Drawing Art Students League, New York, NY - Painting EXHIBITIONS 2017 “Anne Harris...