Artus Claessens [1] (fl 1625–1644) was a Flemish Baroque still-life painter who is known for is opulent still lifes.
Artus Claessens [1] (fl 1625–1644) was a Flemish Baroque still-life painter who is known for is opulent still lifes.
Very little is known about this artist. He was likely born in Antwerp where he is first mentioned on his registration as a member of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1625. He was active in Antwerp until 1644. A fruit still life signed and dated 'AR. CLAESSENS 1644" (at gallery Leegenhoek in 1954) raises the suspicion that he was working elsewhere after his training in Antwerp. [2]
The work of this obscure still life painter is not well known. The large formats of his still lifes suggest that he worked elsewhere (probably the Dutch Republic) after completing his training in Antwerp. His compositions typically depict a variety of fruits and other foods, decorative and glass vessels, as well as live animals such as squirrels, cats, birds and monkeys.
Stylistically his paintings are close to those of other Antwerp still life painters of his time such as Jacob van Hulsdonck, Osias Beert, Frans Snyders and Clara Peeters. [3] His works have in the past frequently been mistaken for those of Clara Peeters as was the case with the Still Life of Fruit, a Lobster, Cheeses and Drinking Vessels with a Parrot and a Squirrel on a Table (Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest). [4]
Frans Snyders or Frans Snijders was a Flemish painter of animals, hunting scenes, market scenes and still lifes. He was one of the earliest specialist animaliers and he is credited with initiating a wide variety of new still-life and animal subjects in Antwerp. He was a regular collaborator with leading Antwerp painters such as Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens.
Jan Davidsz. de Heem or in-full Jan Davidszoon de Heem, also called Johannes de Heem or Johannes van Antwerpen or Jan Davidsz de Hem, was a still life painter who was active in Utrecht and Antwerp. He is a major representative of that genre in both Dutch and Flemish Baroque painting.
Adriaen van Utrecht was a Flemish painter known mainly for his sumptuous banquet still lifes, game and fruit still lifes, fruit garlands, market and kitchen scenes and depictions of live poultry in farmyards. His paintings, especially the hunting and game pieces, show the influence of Frans Snyders. The two artists are considered the main inventors of the genre of the pronkstillevens, i.e. still lifes that emphasized abundance by depicting a diversity of objects, fruits, flowers and dead game, often together with living people and animals. Van Utrecht also painted a number of flower still lifes. He was a regular collaborator with leading Antwerp painters who had been pupils or assistants of Peter Paul Rubens, such as Jacob Jordaens, David Teniers the Younger, Erasmus Quellinus II, Gerard Seghers, Theodoor Rombouts, Abraham van Diepenbeeck and Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert.
Pieter Boel or Peeter Boel was a Flemish painter, printmaker and tapestry designer. He specialised in lavish still lifes and animal paintings. He moved to Paris, where he worked in the gobelin factory and became a painter to the king. Pieter Boel revolutionized animal painting by working directly from live animals in a natural setting. He thus arrived at representations of animals showing them in their natural, characteristic poses. He had many followers in France.
Floris van Dyck, also called Floris van Dijck or Floris Claesz. van Dyck was a Dutch Golden Age still life painter.
Clara Peeters was a Flemish still-life painter from Antwerp who worked in both the Spanish Netherlands and Dutch Republic.
Jacob Foppens van Es, Jacob Fopsen van Es or Jacob van Es was a Flemish Baroque painter who was known for his still lifes mainly of food and occasionally flower paintings. He collaborated with other artists on garland paintings. Together with Osias Beert and Clara Peeters, he was one of the leading representatives of the first generation in Flemish still-life painting.
David de Coninck or David de Koninck, also known as Rammelaer was a Flemish painter who specialised in still lifes and landscapes with animals and hunting scenes. Recognised as a leading animal painter, de Coninck was able to develop an international career which caused him to work for extended periods in Paris, Rome and Vienna.
Joris van Son or Georg van Son was a Flemish still life painter who worked in a number of sub-genres but is principally known for his fruit still lifes. He also created flower still lifes, banquet still lifes, vanitas still lifes and pronkstillevens. He is known to have painted fish still lifes representing the Four Elements. He collaborated with figure artists on 'garland paintings', which typically represent a devotional image framed by a fruit or flower garland.
Alexander Coosemans was a Flemish Baroque painter specialized in still lifes of flower pieces, fruit, and inanimate subjects. He painted vanitas still lifes, pronkstillevens and game pieces.
Carstian Luyckx, also known as the Monogrammist KL, was a Flemish painter and draughtsman who specialized in still lifes in various subgenres including flower still lifes, fruit still lifes, fish still lifes, pronkstillevens, vanitas still lifes, hunting pieces and garland paintings. He also painted animals and a few genre scenes. After starting his career in Antwerp he is believed to have worked later in France.
Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Elder was a Flemish goldsmith and still life painter who is known for his fruit still lifes, flower pieces, vanitas still lifes and pronkstillevens.
Claessens is a Dutch patronymic surname meaning "son of Claes (Nicholas)". It may refer to:
Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen the Elder was a Flemish painter of flowers and garland paintings.
Joannes Hermans, called Monsú Aurora, was a Flemish painter of animals and still lifes of game, fruit and flowers who worked in Italy and Antwerp where he contributed to the development of the Baroque still life genre.
Jan van Kessel or the other Jan van Kessel was a Flemish painter of still lifes of fruits, hunting pieces and flowers. After training in Antwerp he moved to the Dutch Republic where he is recorded as operating a studio in Amsterdam.
Frans van Everbroeck was a Flemish still life painter who is known for his fruit still lifes, vanitas still lifes and pronkstillevens. He was active in Antwerp, Amsterdam and London.
Egidus Nuemans or Egidius Nuemans was a still life painter active in Antwerp in the second half of the 17th century. Only a few works by his hand depicting still lifes with flowers and fruit are currently known.
Jan Peeter van Bredael the Elder or Jan Pieter van Bredael the Elder was a Flemish painter, art restorer and art dealer. He is known for his still lifes of flowers and fruits, game and Italianate landscapes. He was a member of the prominent artistic family van Bredael from Antwerp.
Still Life of Fruit, Dead Birds, and a Monkey is a painting by the Dutch artist Clara Peeters, c. 1615-1620. It is a still life, painted in oils on a wooden panel, measuring 47.6 cm × 65.5 cm. The painting is in a private collection.
Media related to Artus Claessens at Wikimedia Commons