Franciscus Gijsbrechts (1649, Antwerp – after 1677), was a Flemish painter of still lifes specialised in vanitas still lifes and trompe-l'œil paintings. He worked in the second half of the seventeenth century in the Spanish Netherlands, Denmark and the Dutch Republic. Like his father, he painted trompe-l'œil still lifes, a still life genre that uses illusionistic means to create the appearance that the painted, two-dimensional composition is actually a three-dimensional, real object. [1]
He was the son of Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts and Anna Moons. He was baptised on 25 February 1649 in the parish of St James in Antwerp. [1] His father was a still-life painter and probably also his teacher. [2]
It is possible that in 1672 he was an assistant to his father at the Danish court in Copenhagen. These connections to the court are likely as a work dated 1672 was already in the Danish collection before 1689. He was possibly identical with the Franciscus Gijsbrecht who was registered in 1674 in Leiden's Guild of St Luke. In 1676 he is recorded in Antwerp when he joined that city's Guild of St Luke as a wijnmeester, i.e. as a relative of a member. This entry in the guild books is the last mention of Gysbrechts. [1]
Gijsbrechts was a painter of still lifes. It is possible that he also painted landscapes, as landscapes by a Gijsbrecht were mentioned in art inventories in the 18th century. However, no landscapes by his hand are known at present. It may be that the landscapes were painted by a namesake of Gysbrechts. [1]
The majority of his works consist of vanitas still lifes and trompe-l'œils similar in style and subject matter to those of his father. The similarity between their works has made it difficult to distinguish between the works of the two artists and some attributions are disputed. [3] It is generally believed that his father's style is more baroque and his brushwork softer and more fluid. [4]
Gijsbrechts followed his father who, as a painter, specialised in the trompe-l'oeils that were extremely popular in the 17th century and brought it to perfection in this genre. One of the more elaborate compositions in Franciscus' oeuvre is the painting Trompe l'oeil still life of a half-open wall cabinet filled with writing implements, silver gilt dishes, a violin and a hunting horn (c. 1675, Bonhams London 4 December 2019 lot 24). It represents the epitome of the collector's cabinet and a personal interpretation of the cabinet of curiosities. While in his painted cabinets his father had kept the design of the half-opened cabinet rather simple, in this work Franciscus took it a step further and made it more complex. [5]
Many of Gijsbrecht's well-known still lifes fall into the category of vanitas paintings. This genre of still life offers a reflection on the apparent meaninglessness of earthly life and the transience of all earthly goods and pursuits. This meaning is conveyed in these still lifes through the use of stock symbols that refer to the transience of things and, in particular, the futility of earthly wealth and achievements: a skull, soap bubbles, candles, empty glasses, wilting flowers, insects, smoke, clocks, mirrors, books, hourglasses and musical instruments, various expensive or exclusive objects such as jewellery and rare shells. The worldview behind the vanitas paintings was a Christian understanding of the world as a temporary place of fleeting joys and sorrows from which humanity could only escape through the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. The term vanitas is derived from the famous line Vanitas vanitatum et omnia Vanitas, from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, which is translated in the King James Version as Vanity of vanities, all is vain. [6]
While most of the symbols used in vanitas paintings refer to earthly existence (books, scientific instruments, etc.) and pleasures (pipes and other smoking utensils) or the transience of life and death (skulls, soap bubbles, empty shells), some of the symbols carry a double meaning: a rose or an oar of grain refers as much to the brevity of life as it is a symbol of the resurrection of Christ and thus eternal life. [7]
In Trompe-l'œil of a vanitas still life with a clock, smoking and painters materials (Sotheby's 30 November 2010 Amsterdam, lot 37), Gijsbrechts presents a virtual inventory of seventeenth-century symbols of transience: the skull, smoking utensils, painters materials, an extinguished candle, a clock and an oar of grain, all painted in a highly illusionistic manner. In this way, the artist fused his proven trompe l'oeil technique with the vanitas subject. [8]
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural or human-made.
Trompe-l'œil is an artistic term for the highly realistic optical illusion of three-dimensional space and objects on a two-dimensional surface. Trompe l'œil, which is most often associated with painting, tricks the viewer into perceiving painted objects or spaces as real. Forced perspective is a related illusion in architecture.
Jefferson David Chalfant was an American painter who is remembered mostly for his trompe-l'œil still life paintings.
Nicolaes van Verendael or Nicolaes van Veerendael was a Flemish painter active in Antwerp who is mainly known for his flower paintings and vanitas still lifes. He was a frequent collaborator of other Antwerp artists to whose compositions he added the still life elements. He also painted a number of singeries, i.e., scenes with monkeys dressed and acting as humans.
Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts or Gysbrechts was a Flemish painter who was active in the Spanish Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden in the second half of the seventeenth century. He was a court painter to the Danish royal family. He specialised in trompe-l'œil still lifes, an artistic genre which uses visual tricks to give viewers the illusion that they are not looking at a painting but rather at real three-dimensional objects. He also created many vanitas still lifes.
Events from the year 1630 in art.
Events from the year 1683 in art.
Hendrick Andriessen, known as Mancken Heyn was a Flemish still-life painter. He is known for his vanitas still lifes, which are made up of objects referencing the precariousness of life, and 'smoker' still lifes, which depict smoking utensils. The artist worked in Antwerp and likely also in the Dutch Republic.
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 still lifes of fruit. He also painted flowers, banquets, vanitas still lifes and pronkstillevens. He is known to have painted fish still lifes representing the Four Elements, and also collaborated with figure artists on 'garland paintings', which typically represent a devotional image framed by a fruit or flower garland.
Hieronymus Galle or Hieronymus Galle I or the Elder was a Flemish painter, who specialized in still lifes of fruit and flowers and hunting pieces. He collaborated with his fellow painters on garland paintings, i.e. paintings showing a garland of flowers or fruit around a devotional image or portrait.
Anton Goubau or Anton Goebouw was a Flemish Baroque painter. He spent time in Rome where he moved in the circle of the Bamboccianti, Dutch and Flemish genre painters who created small cabinet paintings of the everyday life of the lower classes in Rome and its countryside. He is known for his Italianate landscapes and genre paintings in the style of the Bamboccianti and his history paintings with mythological and religious themes.
Cornelis van der Meulen or Cornelis Vermeulen, was a Dutch painter who after training in the Dutch Republic had a career in Sweden where he became a court painter. He is known for still lifes of flowers and game, trompe-l'œil and vanitas still lifes, topographical views and portraits.
Gysbrecht Thys or Gysbrechts Thys was a Flemish painter active in Antwerp known for his religious and mythological works as well as for his nudes. He also painted landscapes. Very few paintings have been attributed to the artist to date.
Pronkstilleven is a style of ornate still life painting, which was developed in the 1640s in Antwerp from where it spread quickly to the Dutch Republic.
Catarina or Catharina Ykens or Catarina Ykens (II) (1659 - 1737 or later) was a Flemish painter. The few surviving paintings attributed to her are still lifes but she is also believed to have painted history paintings with biblical themes.
Laurent Geedts was a Flemish still life painter active in Leuven. He is known for his trompe-l'œil still lifes of game birds.
François Xavier Joseph Jacquin or Frans Jaquin was a Flemish painter and draughtsman known for his portraits, still lifes and landscapes. He was in demand as a portrait painter of religious dignitaries, the nobility and the bourgeoisie. As a still life painter he created game pieces and trompe-l'œil still lifes of game birds.
Godfriedt van Bochoutt was a Flemish still painter who was active in his native Bruges and Rotterdam. The limited body of work attributed to him ranges from fruit still lifes, hunting still lifes, vanitas still lifes and trompe l'oeil paintings.
Jacobus Plasschaert or Jacob Plasschaert, spelling variation of name Plasgaert was a Flemish painter and teacher. He is known for his trompe-l'œil still lifes and vanitas still lifes. He was active in Bruges.
Carel Fonteyn or Carel Fontyn was a Flemish painter active in Antwerp. He is known for his Vanitas still lifes with flowers, skulls and other Vanitas symbols.
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