Important Flemish painting from the first half of the 17th century. Oil on panel work depicting a battle between soldiers on horseback and Amazons, the legendary female warriors. The Amazonomachy is a rare subject and is an iconographic theme that comes from ancient Greece. Often represented on bas-reliefs and sarcophagi it depicts the struggle between Greeks and Amazons, symbolizing the victory of the Greeks against the Persians, civilization against barbarism, order against chaos.
In the Renaissance the theme was taken up again as a erudite subject suitable for aristocratic clients. Painting of notable pictorial quality, attributed to the great painter Otto Van Veen (1556-1629), teacher of Peter Paul Rubens. Known as Otto Vaenius, he is one of the key figures in the transition from Nordic Mannerism to early Flemish Baroque. A cultured humanist, he was not only a painter but also a theorist and author of emblems (The painting is not currently accompanied by expertise, but it is possible to request it upon payment of the relevant additional costs). The composition is dynamic and reveals a complex and studied construction, with hundreds of masterfully characterized knights and a surprising depth.
The gestures are theatrical but controlled, with faces typified according to mannerist models. The color palette is brilliant, with lacquered reds of great strength and bright and intense chiaroscuro. A perfect work for a prestigious professional studio, a private library or a large reception room, ideal for a demanding collector who appreciates erudite mythological subjects. Spectacular 20th century frame in carved, lacquered and gilded wood, with some signs of aging. Plate already restored with color recovery in small spots, overall in good state of conservation. Light painting H 64.5 x W 105 cm.
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SILVER Seller in Cuneo, Italy
