Bottega di Pieter Bout

Workshop of Pieter Bout (Brussels, between 1640 and 1645 or 1658 – Brussels, 1719 or 1689) Village Festival Oil on canvas, 59 x 80 cm Framed 83 x 101 cm This painting, most likely made by Pieter Bout's workshop, offers us a glimpse into daily 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 joie de vivre are the undisputed protagonists. In Bout's works, elements inspired by Flemish painting can be seen, which can be found in artists such as Jan Brueghel the Elder, also known in Italy as Bruegel dei Velluti (Brussels, 1568 – Antwerp, 12 January 1625). The date of Pieter Bout's birth is uncertain: based on the few known facts it seems to have occurred between 1620 and 1647, but more likely between 1640 and 1645, although it seems he was baptized on December 5, 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 back. In 1671 he became a member of the Guild of Saint Luke in Brussels. From around 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. After returning to his hometown, he continued his activity. Other artists with whom he collaborated, always inserting figures into their landscapes, were Lucas Achtschellink, Dupont known as Pointié, Ignatius van der Stock and Jacques d'Arthois. He mainly painted genre scenes, landscapes, in particular seascapes, city views, winter landscapes, ports and beaches, historical subjects and architecture. In addition to paintings, he also made engravings from his subjects, including a group of four landscapes consisting of two winter scenes with skaters, one with a post carriage stopped in front of an inn and a seascape. The village houses, with their thatched roofs and rustic facades, frame a scene teeming with life. At the center of this scene stands a tall greasy pole, a symbol of joy and celebration. Small figures, painted with quick and light brushstrokes, move with vivacity: some dance to the sound of invisible music, others chat animatedly, others observe the scene with amusement. The sunlight, filtering through the clouds, illuminates the scene with a diffused sweetness, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The figures are rendered with singular precision, and the details of the landscape, while essential, contribute to creating an atmosphere of realism. The subject represented is the game of the Greasy Pole of ancient popular tradition and known in many European countries, in which the participants must climb to the top of a tree covered with grease or other slippery substances to collect prizes. The origin of this game probably derives from the May Tree which was raised in the villages on the occasion of the Calendimaggio (around the first days of May) to celebrate the arrival of spring. In some cases, the tree was carried in procession from house to house as an omen of good luck. The anthropologist James Frazer places its origin in the tree cults widespread throughout Europe, by virtue of the beneficial power contained in the spirit of the tree, which was thought to magically bestow gifts and fortune. In particular, the greasy pole would derive, according to Frazer, from a particular form of the May trees, when it was pruned, leaving only the top uncovered to which various foods were attached, which were attempted to be taken with difficulty.