Panels Between Rubens and Van Dyck Gaspar de CRAYER From an artistic background, Gaspar de Crayer was born in Antwerp, in 1584. His father was a schoolmaster, as well as an illuminator and calligrapher. According to historical sources, De Crayer carried out his apprenticeship in Brussels under Raphael Coxie (around 1540-1616), who specialized in history painting and portraits in the Mannerist style. It is unknown at what age he moved from Antwerp to Brussels, home to both the Court and government, which gave him the opportunity to establish his reputation. The artist distinguished himself in two genres – portraiture and religious painting – which were sometimes combined in a single composition. Prolific in his production, his career spanned an impressively long period since he continued painting vast altarpieces into his eighties. His image was immortalized by one of the greatest masters of the 17 th century, Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641). The only known self-portrait is in The Adoration of the Magi , in which De Crayer depicted himself as a gentleman . aaa 1.1 bbb Jacob JORDAENS (Antwerp, 1593-1678), attributed to — Portrait of Gaspar de Crayer Around 1640 Oil on canvas Private collecon Aged around fiy and at the height of his career, De Crayer as immortalised by Anthony van Dyck ho painted this first portrait of the arst, no held in the Prince of Liechtenstein’s collecons ((ienna). The ork presented here is thought to be a copy by ,acob ,ordaens hich remains faithful to (an Dyck’s composion. The poise and bearing of the sub-ect command the observer’s a.enon. aaa 1.2 bbb aaa 1.5 bbb Antoon VAN DYCK (Antwerpen, 1599 - London, 1641), after Frans HOGENBERG (Mechelen, 1535 – Cologne, 1590) Paulus PONTIUS (Antwerpen, 1603-1685) — — View of the city of Antwerp and the citadel Portrait of Gaspar de Crayer 15A2 0 Engraving /urin engraving Ant erp, Plann01oretus 1useum2Prentenkabinet Collecon 0 3NESCO 7orld 8eritage Ant erp, Plann01oretus 1useum2Prentenkabinet Collecon 0 3NESCO 7orld 8eritage aaa 1.6 bbb aaa 1.3 bbb François JOLLAIN (1660-1735) — Antoon VAN DYCK (Antwerp, 1599-London, 1641), after Jacob NEEFS (Antwerp, 1610-ap. 1660) Brussels - Panoramic view — 16C001690 0 Engraving Portrait of Gaspar de Crayer Paris, /ibliothDEue naonale de France, Department of 1aps and Plans /et een 1641 and 1649 /urin engraving aaa 1.7 bbb Ant erp, Plann01oretus 1useum2Prentenkabinet Collecon 0 3NESCO 7orld 8eritage Georg BRAUN (Cologne, 1541-1622) — *éâtre des Cités du Monde aaa 1.4 bbb 15A9, Cologne 0 Engraving retouched in atercolour Lucas FAYDHERBE (Mechelen, 1617-1697), attributed to Saint0Omer, /ibliothDEue d’AgglomGraon — Gaspar de Crayer (1584-1669), painter aaa 1.8 bbb Inscripon on medal: ”P8ILIP. III (?) 8ISPANIARIA. REX.” Around 1640? Gaspar de CRAYER Terraco.a — Amsterdam, Ri-ksmuseum Adoration of the Magi with self-portrait of Gaspar de Crayer 160901619 0 Oil on canvas Hortri-k, St 1arn’s Church This early ork is inspired by Rubens’ painng of the same sub-ect. 1onumental aaa 2.1 bbb figures are depicted in a frieIe arrangement reminiscent of the 1aster. The Christ0 child can be seen on the le, surrounded by 1ary and ,oseph ho are elcoming the Gaspar de CRAYER three kings. One exceponal aspect of the painng is the presence of the only self0 — portrait of Gaspar de Crayer kno n to date. Compleng the vie on the right0hand side, the young painter can be seen from behind, earing a feathered beret and Pietà with portraits of Burgomaster Hendrik van Dongelberghe a.racng the observer’s eye. and his wife Adriana Borluut Around 162A Signed lo er right Oil on ood /russels, Royal 1useums of Fine Arts of /elgium Peter-Paul Rubens (15AA01640), The Adoraon of the This ork highlights the t o genres in hich Gaspar de Crayer parcularly excelled: 1agi, 1609, O2C, 1adrid, 1useo Nacional del Prado 2 L portraiture and religious painng. 8endrik van Dongelberghe (a knight and 1ayor of 1useo Nacional del Prado, Dist. R1N0GP 2 Prado image /russels) and his ife can be seen kneeling belo the body of Christ, surrounded by the (irgin 1ary and St ,ohn. The Euality of the figures’ expressions is parcularly striking. 2. Towards a Baroque revisited The dramac composion, hich focuses the a.enon on the suMering endured by Christ, is designed to inspire reverence and compassion in the faithful. Gaspar de Crayer’s early works betray the influence of the Mannerist movement which was characterized, in the last quarter of the 16 th century, by a certain level of rigidity. His style first began to evolve in the late 1610s, at the impetus of aaa 2.2 bbb Antwerp’s great master Rubens (1577-1640), who dominated the artistic Gaspar de CRAYER scene in Europe at the time. Figures became increasingly monumental and compositions more dense: the space is saturated by the number of — people and prolific decorative elements. The Mocking of Job (1619) and *e Annunciation The Martyrdom of St Catherine (around 1622) are the first milestones in this shift towards a Baroque aesthetic. Around 161A 0 Oil on canvas Despite this innovative momentum, De Crayer remained faithful to Hortri-k, Church of Our Lady historic models. Solutions proposed were often unexpected, juxtaposing diverse sources of influence, such as Flemish art and Italian painting. The Pietà with Burgomaster Van Dongelberghe and his wife demonstrates his aaa 2.3 bbb talent for combining both schools: the two donors’ portraits are in the purest Flemish tradition, alongside a religious subject, borrowed from the Gaspar de CRAYER Italian painter Fra Bartolomeo (1472-1517). — *e Visitation Around 161A 0 Oil on canvas Hortri-k, Church of Our Lady aaa 2.4 bbb aaa 2.6 bbb Gaspar de CRAYER Gaspar de CRAYER — — *e Virgin Mary with Child and Canon Jan van Calendries *e Martyrdom of St Catherine 16N4 0 Signed and dated lo er right Around 1622 Oil on ood Oil on canvas Dendermonde, Church of our Lady Grenoble, 1usGe des /eaux0Arts Canon ,an van Calendries chose to be depicted kneeling at the feet of the 1adonna, This is one of the masterpieces painted by De Crayer for the Church of Our Lady in ho has been raised slightly. 8e probably hoped that this ould facilitate his path to Hortri-k. St Catherine as a princess, as sho n by the cro n and sceptre placed on 8eaven. There is neither gesture nor eye0contact to establish a connecon bet een the steps. She is about to be beheaded, having survived the breaking heel, of the Canon and 1ary or her son. Each figure is thus confined in their respecve orld. hich a fragment can be seen in the foreground. The horse mof, taken The minimal composion is unusual for De Crayer. This is his only 1adonna and Child from Rubens, can be found in another altarpiece by De Crayer The 1artyrdom of St ith a single donor. Puenn for a Church in Lennick.. aaa 2.5 bbb Gaspar de CRAYER — *e Mocking of Job Gaspar de Crayer , The Martyrdom of St Quenn , O2C, Lennick, Church of St Puenn 2 L HIH0IRPA, /russels Signed and dated lo er right Oil on canvas Toulouse, 1usGe des Augusns 3. Eclectic portraitist and court painter In this ork, painted for St /avo’s Cathedral in Ghent, Gaspar de Crayer as inspired In the hierarchy of artistic genres, portraiture is seen as a less prestigious by a lost Altarpiece of St ,ob by Rubens. A pious man, ,ob has been forced by Satan to activity but it was an important source of income for painters. It also endure a number of torments: the collapse of his home, causing the death of his enabled them to develop their social network and consolidate their fame. children, illness and harsh cricism from his ife and three friends. Resigned to his Following his apprenticeship in Brussels, Gaspar de Crayer began aOicons, ,ob connues to pray throughout. A symbol of faith, ,ob as oen invoked painting portraits, which soon established his reputation. His clientele during plague epidemics. extended beyond the wealthy bourgeois since he earned the esteem of several of the most powerful figures in the immediate entourage of Archduke Albert and Archduchess Isabella, who saw a means of demonstrating their power in his talents as a portraitist. Models by Rubens (1577-1640) were the main source of inspiration during this first period. From 1627, he began adopting compositions (for full or half- aaa 3.2 bbb length figures) reminiscent of Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) who introduced an opening onto a landscape in the background of his Gaspar de CRAYER paintings. — In 1635, De Crayer was appointed court painter for Cardinal-Infante Nicolas Triest, Count of Auweghem Ferdinand, painting his last known portrait in 1639. Strangely, he moved away from portraiture at this point and devoted himself entirely to 1620 0 Oil on canvas religious painting. Cambridge, 8arvard Art 1useums 2 Fogg 1useum, gied by Samuel Sachs, 7. Sco. FitI, Ernest /. Dane, Felix 1. 7arburg and three anonymous donors Nicolas Triest played an important role in the polical life of Ghent as deputy aaa 3.1 bbb burgomaster. The eye is dra n to the nobleman’s unreadable expression in this three0Euarter profile portrait. As as the case for the formal portrait of Frederick de Gaspar de CRAYER 1arselaer, displayed in this room, Gaspar de Crayer took inspiraon from models — established by Rubens once again. Portrait of Frederick de Marselaer Around 161A 0 Oil on canvas Private collecon aaa 3.3 bbb Gaspar de CRAYER An eminent polical figure in 1Ath century, /russels, Frederick de 1arselaer commissioned his portrait to be painted in the style of a prince.