Provenance: private collection.
An outstanding elegance and pictorial refinement are the distinctive marks of this small emblematic panel by Pseudo van Kessel. Through the format, medium and...
read moreProvenance: private collection.
An outstanding elegance and pictorial refinement are the distinctive marks of this small emblematic panel by Pseudo van Kessel. Through the format, medium and general organisation of the elements, we can easily see the reason for the confusion between the work of this mysterious master and the works of van Kessel.
Nevertheless, the characteristics that irrevocably distinguish an independent artistic personality are clearly obvious here.
The sobriety of the composition, rigorously organised in an atmosphere of elegant austerity, the precise touch and the choice of motifs, glorified with highlights of pure light, reveal a great artistic talent. With ease, the artist perfectly harmonises the touches of colour with the palpability of each fruit. His rendering of the textures is truly astounding. The painter adapts his palette with an equivalent ease to the evocation of a piece of fruit that is ripe or freshly picked and the metallic shine of the pewter dishes.
Based on a discreet composition, which mixes sobriety and silence in an almost introspective manner, this small copper surprises the viewer time after time. A multicoloured butterfly, which adds a beautiful poetic touch, flutters amongst the objects and, with its wings, brings the scene to life.
Late Sixteenth century – early Seventeenth century
For several years now, still lives painted on copper panel have been attributed to this unknown master who is referred to, for now, as “Pseudo...
read moreLate Sixteenth century – early Seventeenth century
For several years now, still lives painted on copper panel have been attributed to this unknown master who is referred to, for now, as “Pseudo van Kessel”.
Among his preferred subjects are scenes of meals enlivened by bouquets. Often, they involve broad tables on which are carefully arranged dishes or bowls of fruit, and baskets or vases of flowers. Special attention is paid to constructing the perspective, to the variety of types of specimens, and the quality of the asymmetrical composition, which all creates a highly lifelike vision.
At first sight, these subjects, handled in such a way, greatly resemble the work of van Kessel, particularly in the color palette, but the influence of Osias Beert and Jacob van Es is also clearly visible.
An inscription in Italian on the back of one of the artist’s works which reads “Raffo Morghen originale flammengo, finissimo possedato Raffaello Morghen”, would suggest a Flemish painter who had immigrated to Italy, but no paintings by this artist have been identified with certainty.
Another attribution has also been suggested by various art historians : that of the German painter Gorthard de Wedig (Cologne 1583-1641).
In order to discover more works by this artist, it would be necessary to study his specific stylistic qualities, so as to better define the personality of this talented painter, worthy of the greatest masters of the early still life genre.
