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Trompe l'oeil with Studio Wall and Vanitas Still Life

Cornelis Norbertus Gysbrechts1668

SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst

SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst
Copenhagen, Denmark

In addition to the signature "C. N. Gysbrechts, F.A.O. 1668" the painting also bears the painter’s "calling

card" in the form of a note bearing the address "A Monsuer / Monsuer Cornelius Norbertus / Gijsbrechts Conterfeÿer ggl. In. / Coppenhagen."

A vanitas still life

The painting shows a wooden wall with a canvas mounted on a temporary stretcher resting on a shelf that also bears the painter’s paraphernalia. The canvas shows a still life with symbols of death and resurrection, a so-called vanitas still life.

It was presumably this painting that secured Gijsbrechts the position as Court Painter to the Danish kings, first Frederic 3. (1609-1675) and later Christian 5. (1646-1699).

Trompe l'oeil (deception of the eye)During his four-year sojourn in Copenhagen Gijsbrechts created an extraordinary series of paintings that aimed to convince spectators that they were facing real, three-dimensional objects rather than flat paintings. The genre is called trompe l’oeil (deception of the eye) and is typical of the Baroque style with its predilection for witty illusionism, metaphor, and allegory. The genre was also popular in the rest of Europe where princes and monarchs used such paintings to amuse diplomats and distinguished guests with their clever deceptions.

Details

  • Title: Trompe l'oeil with Studio Wall and Vanitas Still Life
  • Creator: Cornelius Norbertus Gijsbrechts
  • Creator Lifespan: Active from 1657 Antwerpen - After 1683
  • Creator Nationality: Flemish
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Birth Place: Antwerpen
  • Date Created: 1668
  • Værktekst: Ud over signaturen "C. N. Gysbrechts, F.A.O. 1668" bærer maleriet malerens "visitkort" i form af en seddel adresseret "A Monsuer / Monsuer Cornelius Norbertus / Gijsbrechts Conterfeÿer ggl. In. / Coppenhagen." Vanitas-stilleleben Maleriet viser en bræddevæg med et lærred opspændt på en midlertidig blændramme, som hviler på en hylde med malerens redskaber. Det opspændte lærred er et stilleben med døds- og genopstandelsessymboler, et såkaldt vanitas-stilleben. Maleriet var formentlig Gijsbrechts adgangsbillet til jobbet som kongelig hofmaler, først for Frederik 3. (1609-1675) og siden for Christian 5. (1646-1699). Trompe l'oeil (øjenbedrag)Under sit fire år lange ophold i København skabte Gijsbrechts en enestående serie malerier, hvis formål var at få beskueren til at tro, at vedkommende stod over for virkelige ting. Genren kaldes trompe l’oeil (øjenbedrag) og er typisk for barokken, som sværmede for den vittige illusionisme, metaforen og allegorien. Også i resten af Europa var genren efterspurgt af fyrster og statsoverhoveder, der viste malerierne frem for diplomater og fornemme gæster, som kunne more sig over det dygtigt udførte bedrag, når først det blev afsløret.
  • Teknik: Olie på lærred
  • Proveniens: Erhvervet 1668-1672
  • Provenance: Acquired 1668-1672
  • Physical Dimensions: w118 x h152 cm (Without frame)
  • Dansk link: http://www.smk.dk/index.php?id=1150
  • Dansk Titel: Trompe l'oeil med ateliervæg og vanitas-stilleben
  • Type: Painting
  • Rights: Statens Museum for Kunst, http://www.smk.dk/en/copyright/creative-commons/
  • Medium: Oil on canvas

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