The artist's studio, Gerard Thomas (Antwerp 1663-1720) Attributable

Gerard Thomas (Antwerp 1663-1720) Attributable to

The artist's studio

Oil on canvas (99 x 115 cm. – In frame 70 x 86 cm.)

Full details of the painting (click HERE)

The fascinating painting, depicting the interior of an artist's studio, is attributable to Gerard Thomas (Antwerp 1663-1720), a late Flemish Baroque painter, known for his genre paintings depicting the interiors of artists' studios, art galleries, and scenes of alchemists or physicians in their studies.

He was born in Antwerp, where he trained as an apprentice and became a master of the Guild of St. Luke in 1688-89, later holding the office of dean, the most prestigious position.

This theme is influenced by the tradition of the wunderkammer (literally, cabinet of wonders or cabinet of curiosities), which spread between the 16th and 18th centuries in noble and intellectual residences, anticipating the modern concept of the museum and stimulating the desire of wealthy Flemish merchants to collect and exhibit rare and precious objects along with works of art of all kinds.

Our beautiful work, in particular, executed around the early eighteenth century, represents a valuable example of his production: we see an important artist in his studio, surrounded by three young apprentices eager to learn the secrets of the painter's craft, practicing painting on canvas and drawing from sculptural models.

A version similar to ours, in composition and quality, is found in Rome, in the collection of Palazzo Doria Pamphilj.

*Gerard Thomas, The Artist's Studio, Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome, inv./cat. no. 541
https://research.rkd.nl/nl/detail/https%3A%2F%2Fdata.rkd.nl%2Fimages%2F257711

What makes these paintings special is the wealth of detail with which the painter enriches the setting, from which emerges the taste for depicting opulent, elegantly furnished bourgeois environments, which alluded to both the well-being and the artistic sensitivity of the wealthy patrons.

The room is a whimsical display of objects related to the art and culture of the period, expertly displayed, including a Persian carpet placed on the desk, a beautiful celestial globe on a pedestal, an ancient classical marble vase decorated with bas-reliefs, and many other sculptures (one can recognize the sculptural group with two wrestlers, positioned above a bas-relief altar, reminiscent of those in the Uffizi Gallery), drawings and sketches scattered haphazardly in various parts of the room.

Finally, the room is dotted with numerous paintings, in one of which we can recognize a 'Boar Hunt' by the Flemish master Frans Snyders, a specialist in this pictorial genre, and specifically included by the painter as a cultured reference.

In addition to being the author's signature objects (we find the exact same detail in the wild boar hunting scene), which we find in his other works, they are identifying symbols of the patron, alluding to his social superiority and wealth, his professionalism, his culture, and his passion for art—in short, attributes intended to demonstrate his 'social status'.

For comparison, let's look at some of the master's works now kept in various museums, including:

– Gerard Thomas, The Artist's Studio, Doria Pamphilj Gallery (fig.1)
– Gerard Thomas, The painter's studio, Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (fig.2)
– Gerard Thomas, Interior of a Painter's Studio, Sotheby's Amsterdam, 1999-11-09, lot 64, (fig.3)
– Gerard Thomas, The Artist's Studio, Sotheby's London, 12/03/99, Sold for €58.106 (fig.4)
– Gerard Thomas, A Collector in His Workshop, Royal Collection (fig.5)
– Gerard Thomas (1663-1720), The Sculptor's Studio/The Visit of the Tax Collector, Alte Pinakothek Munich (fig.6/fig.7)
– Gerard Thomas, A Sculptor’s Studio, Dorotheum Vienna, 1996-10-15, lot number: 134 (fig.8)

(fig.1) https://research.rkd.nl/nl/detail/https%3A%2F%2Fdata.rkd.nl%2Fimages%2F257711
(fig.2) https://kmska.be/en/masterpiece/the-painters-studio
(fig.3) https://rkd.nl/images/54442
(fig.5) https://www.rct.uk/collection/406900/a-collector-in-his-cabinet
(fig.6/7) https://www.sammlung.pinakothek.de/de/artwork/JzG6RDMGWO
(fig.8) https://rkd.nl/images/10783

The painting is in good condition and is accompanied by an antique black lacquered frame.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The work is sold accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and descriptive iconographic card.

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