Work Lucas van Valckenborch

1 work

1.1 general
1.2 landscapes
1.3 portraits
1.4 market scenes

work
general

lucas van valckenborch known landscapes, depict existing , imaginary scenes. painted portraits patron emperor matthias. further figure painter shown in series of 9 allegories of seasons painted in frankfurt 1592.

valckenborch s earliest dated works 1567. monogram l / vv or lvv. in career placed l below 2 v s, while after 1570 signed letters inverted.

his style close of pieter brueghel elder, modified influence in personal manner , not slavish copyist. work rooted in same flemish tradition, without following newer mannerist movement.

landscapes

rocky landscape travelers on path

van valckenborch worked largely in tradition of so-called world landscape of panoramic vistas shown bird s-eye viewpoint. style of landscape painting developed in antwerp in first half of 16th century artists joachim patinir, herri met de bles , pieter bruegel elder. practised lucas van valckenborch s contemporaries such gillis mostaert , gillis van coninxloo. van valckenborch painted topographically accurate landscapes. joris hoefnagel believed have used topographical drawings, instance drawn view of linz, designs six-volume atlas, civitates orbis terrarum, published georg braun , frans hogenberg between 1572 , 1617.

lucas van valckenborch based many of imaginary landscapes on drawings had made directly nature during travels. drawings provided repertory of motifs, employed on multiple occasions. landscape compositions combine real places imaginary elements. therefore not possible locate many of views created. instance, none of many landscapes furnaces , forges has ever been identified. large portion of landscape output dedicated depiction of rocky landscapes in situated ironworks or small religious or peasant scenes. recurring theme of rural entertainments such in landscape rural festival (1577; hermitage) or 2 versions of landscape peasant wedding , dance (both 1574, national gallery of denmark). created close-up representations of forest landscapes.

autumn landscape (september)

in mixture of fantasy , accurate topographical details, van valckenborch s landscape paintings offer view of world , man s relationship it. particularly clear in rocky landscapes in diminutive people on winding path reduced monumental cliffs. example rocky landscape travelers on path (c. 1570, sotheby s 6 july 2016, london lot 3) distant goatherd , silhouettes of charges seem ant-like in comparison vast distance, , vertiginous perspective of scene. dramatic visual depiction intended commentary on man s place within universe.

he painted between 1584 , 1587 series of large pictures depicting labours of months, on commission archduke matthias. these compositions, of 7 survive (five of in kunsthistorische museum), present various months of year showing changing landscape , traditional activities of humans during each month. not clear whether 5 missing paintings never painted or lost. due realistic setting these compositions carry documentary interest. work of pieter bruegel elder, had painted series of 6 on times of year influential on van valckenborch. lucas van valckenborch moved away tradition of painting landscape in 3 cascading distances rendered in 3 different colours: brown, green , blue each receding plane. rather left out green tone middle distance. innovated thematic scenes developing them genre scenes stronger narrative depth.

peasant tavern

lucas van valckenborch regularly returned subject of tower of babel, depicted pieter bruegel elder , later whole range of flemish artists. subject of tower of babel interpreted critique of human hubris, , in particular o roman catholic church @ time undertaking @ great expense large-scale construction projects such st. peter s basilica. however, has been viewed celebration of technical progress, herald better , more organized world.

portraits

archduke matthias said have engaged lucas van valckenborch court painter skills portrait painter. many of works produced archduke in fact portraits, including portraits of archduke , wife sibylle von jülich-cleve-berg. these portraits full-length portraits or bust format. painted several miniature portraits of archduke , wife. clear these portraits role show power of archduke , flatter ego depicted invariably in regal , imposing position , dressed in latest fashions.

lucas van valckenborch included miniature portraits of himself , friends in number of landscape paintings. case, instance in emperor s walk in forest has depicted himself on left of composition drawing tools. in landscape rural festival (1577; hermitage) included portraits of friends abraham ortelius, joris hoefnagel , himself among throng of revellers.

market scenes

feast

lucas van valckenborch painted number of market scenes, distinctively tied 4 seasons. meat , fish market (winter) (c. 1595, montreal museum of fine arts) example of market scene, allegory of winter. work part of series of 4 dedicated seasons. imagery of market scenes can traced previous generation of painters antwerp school. in series van valckenborch particularly developed tradition of art market scenes pioneered pieter aertsen , joachim beuckelaer. strived synthesis of still-life landscape , genre painting.

the still lifes in many of market scenes work of assistant georg flegel may have trained him. snow-covered fish market scene (royal museum of fine arts antwerp) example of market scene set in winter. people shown skating on ice in background. 2 muffled-up well-to-do women making purchases dressed in typical brabant style of around 1580-1600. fishmonger shown slicing off pieces of salmon, while wife taking smoked fish hook. fish , utensils in foreground work of flegel able render fine metal shine of brass bucket , grain of wooden water bucket. georg flegel painted food , luxurious tableware in 2 paintings of van valckenborch depicting banquets (silesian museum , st gilgen-salzburg, h. wiesenthal private collection).