Circle of Frans Francken II

Circle of FRANS FRANCKEN II (Antwerp, Belgium, 1581 - 1642), 17th century.
"The preaching of St. John the Baptist".
Oil on panel.
Cradled.
Frame of the twentieth century.
It presents faults and restorations.
Measurements: 59 x 80 cm; 82 x 100 x 7 cm (frame).

Elevated on a promontory formed by the own vegetation, San Juan Bautista preaches before a varied public, that includes people of different social extraction, from the humblest people to soldiers and Roman patricians. They are located in a forest clearing and in the distance the houses of Judea can be seen. It is a type of composition rich in narrative and folkloric details that remind us of the paintings that Frans Francken dedicated to the same subject. The lush vegetation expresses its greenery with a palette rich in tonal shades that contrast with the touches of red, white and ocher that predominate in the costumes. This is a 17th century painting that draws from the contemporary teachings of Frans Francken and the Flemish school.

The most fruitful of his family of painters, he trained with his father, Frans Francken I, and in 1605 he joined the Painters Guild of St. Luke in Antwerp, thus beginning a career that would last until 1640, in which he specialized in cabinet painting. His contribution to this genre was of great importance, influencing artists such as Teniers. His style is based on that of Jan Brueghel de Velours, although it also shows strong influences of his father and his uncle, Hieronimus Francken. In his early works, debts to Mannerism and 16th century painting can be seen, both in the structure of the compositions and in the rhythm and expression of his figures. They also include evident references to the work of Italian artists such as Raphael, Veronese and Zuccaro. Likewise, the use of prints by Dürer and Lucas de Leyden for some of his figures has been demonstrated. In addition to cabinet painting, Francken painted mythological and biblical themes, some altarpieces and, in collaboration with other artists, painted the figures in landscapes or interior scenes of Tobias Verhaecht, Joos de Momper II, Pieter Neefs or Paul Vredeman de Vries, among others. He is currently represented in the most important art galleries in the world, such as the Prado Museum, the Louvre, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, the Kunshistorisches Museum in Vienna, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and the Royal Collection in London, among many others.