Simon Johannes van Douw (Antwerp circa 1630 - circa 1677) follower of
A horse-riding traveler's stop near a post station
Oil on canvas
45 x 55 cm
Framed 55 x 65 cm
Artwork details: https://www.antichitacastelbarco.it/it/prodotto/simon-van-douw--seguace-cavaliere-a-riposo
In this pleasant painting, depicting a knight resting near a post station, Flemish tradition merges with a pronounced Italianate sensibility, especially when observing the setting and its peculiar luminosity.
The mixture of genres and the particular style of execution make it easy to attribute the paternity to a Northern European artist active in Rome, or strongly influenced by the style in vogue in the Eternal City, between the 17th and 18th centuries: we are referring, in particular, to a follower of the Antwerp-born Simon Johannes van Douw. The chromatic elegance and the refinement with which the figures are delineated are typical aspects of his painting.
The scene takes place outside a farmhouse, likely a post station for travelers, where a modest family divides tasks assisting the knights. We see a young boy offering water to the horse before it departs, the father preparing to refresh it with straw, and the mother attending to her young child.
The Italian reminiscences, evident in our painting, were absorbed by many Northern European artists such as Nicolaes Berchem, Philips Wouwerman, and Johannes Lingelbach, all inspired by the "caposcuola" Pieter van Laer, documented in Rome from 1625 to 1639 and considered the founder of the Bamboccianti movement.
It is not known whether Simon Van Douw visited Italy: the few certain biographical data indicate that he was documented as an independent master in Antwerp in 1655 and 1656, where he probably spent most of his life and where Carel de Fonteyn and Pieter van Bloemen trained under him. However, a trip to Italy cannot be excluded, although there were numerous graphic or painted examples that artists could access and draw inspiration from, such as Philips Wouwerman, who owned countless drawings by van Laer.
The painting, in an excellent state of preservation, shows a professional relining.
Accompanied by an expertise of authenticity (FIMA)
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