Jan Joseph Horemans the Elder (Antwerp, 16 August 1682 – Antwerp, 1759), Capriccio with figures

Jan Joseph Horemans the Elder (Antwerp, 16 August 1682 – Antwerp, 1759) Capriccio with figures Oil on copper, 29x42.5 cm Signed on the base of the fountain on the right Jan Joseph Horemans the Elder (Antwerp, 16 August 1682 – Antwerp, 1759) was a Flemish painter specializing in genre scenes, portraits, and, to a lesser extent, historical subjects. He is often called "the Elder" to distinguish him from his son, Jan Joseph Horemans the Younger, who was also a very successful painter. Born into a family of artists, Horemans probably learned the first rudiments of painting from his father, Jan Horemans. However, his most significant training took place in the workshop of Jan van Puyenbroeck. This apprenticeship was crucial to developing his style and technique. Horemans became a member of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1706, which marked the official recognition of his artistic activity. His career focused mainly on painting genre scenes that portrayed the daily life of the bourgeoisie and the people. His paintings often show domestic interiors, tavern scenes, artist's workshops, and moments of leisure. His works are characterized by meticulous attention to detail, a balanced composition, and a bright and vibrant color palette. Horemans was skilled at capturing the expressions and interactions between the characters, giving his scenes a sense of animation and narrative. His interiors are often rich in everyday objects, fashionable clothes for the time, and architectural details that contribute to creating a realistic and engaging atmosphere. Although his main production consisted of genre scenes, Horemans also made portraits, demonstrating a good ability to render the physiognomies and clothes of his subjects. To a lesser extent, he also devoted himself to historical subjects and architectural capriccios, but these works are less numerous and less known than his scenes of daily life. Jan Joseph Horemans the Elder had a significant impact on Flemish genre painting of his time and was a master for several prominent figures of the next generation. Horemans' production of capriccios, although less substantial from the point of view of quantity compared to that of genre, proves to be particularly original and significant. The painting presents itself as a fantastic and picturesque scene, a capriccio indeed, which mixes real and imaginary architectural elements in a suggestive landscape. The atmosphere is that of a grandiose ancient ruin immersed in nature, with a golden light that perhaps suggests sunset or dawn. In the foreground, on the right, stands a classical equestrian statue in white marble, placed on a decorated pedestal. The horse and the rider are rendered with a certain vivacity, although the details appear a bit blurred, typical of this kind of representation that often favors the general effect over anatomical precision. The center of the composition is dominated by a set of imposing architectural ruins. Broken columns, ruined arches, and fragments of classical buildings can be recognized, evoking the grandeur of an ancient civilization now decayed. A stone arch bridge spans a dry watercourse, leading the eye towards further structures in the distance. The architecture appears imaginative, with elements that do not necessarily follow a real constructive logic, contributing to the dreamlike character of the scene. Several figures animate the landscape. In the foreground and along the paths that wind through the ruins, groups of ladies and knights are visible. The figures are small and rendered with rapid brushstrokes, focusing more on their dynamic presence within the landscape than on individual details. They seem to move nonchalantly among the vestiges of the past, almost to emphasize the transience of human presence compared to the monumentality of the ruins. The background opens onto a wider landscape, with leafy trees framing the architectures and a sky that varies from warmer tones near the horizon to a more tenuous blue in the upper part. The light plays a crucial role, creating long and soft shadows that accentuate the sense of depth and the melancholic and contemplative character of the scene. The brushstroke appears loose and harmonious, with a predilection for the warm tones of earth, green and ocher, contrasted by the white of the statue and the color accents of the figures' garments.