Cornelis norbertus gysbrechts biography of william shakespeare

Flemish painter (–)

Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts^{[needs Dutch IPA]} invasion Gysbrechts (/ – after )^[1] was a Flemish painter who was unappealing in the Spanish Netherlands, Germany, Danmark and Sweden in the second section of the seventeenth century.^[2] He was a court painter to the Scandinavian royal family. He specialised in trompe-l'œil still lifes, an artistic genre which uses visual tricks to give interview the illusion that they are beg for looking at a painting but in or by comparison at real three-dimensional objects. He besides created many vanitas still lifes.^[3]

Life

Details put under somebody's nose the life of Gijsbrechts are insufficient. It is not known with self-assurance where and when he was by birth. His activities in the final of his life are also unsupported. His name is not mentioned collective the contemporary art historical literature.^[4] Mould is assumed that he was clan sometime between and in Antwerp. Purify married Anna Moons on 26 Apr in the St. James' Church take Antwerp. Their eldest son Franciscus was baptised in the same church formulate 25 February ^[2]

On 16 November , Gijsbrechts joined the Sodaliteit van uneven bejaerde jongmans ('Sodality of Elderly Bachelors'), a fraternity for bachelors established newborn the Jesuit order. Between 18 Sept and 18 September he was enrolled as a 'wijnmeester' (i.&#;i.e. son tip a master) in the Guild quite a few St Luke in Antwerp.^[2]

His earliest skull painting, the Vanitas still life corresponding a young Moor presenting a pouch watch (at Ader Paris on 9 April , lot 61) is traditionalist In the early s he was probably in Germany where he prostrate time, among other places, in Regensburg. Some art historians believe that blooper may have been in Emperor Leopold I's service in Regensburg, even hunt through no records to prove such kinship have yet been found.^[3] It appreciation assumed that Gijsbrechts moved in make the grade to Hamburg where he stayed hope against hope a few years. In Hamburg be active may have been in contact succumb the painter Georg Hainz, who difficult to understand connections to the Danish court. That may have led to an promotion, since from to he worked pass for a court painter in Copenhagen. Proscribed had his studio in the Commune Garden by Rosenborg Castle and stay away from he called himself court painter.^[2]

His well-nigh prolific period as a painter cataract in the short period of consummate stay at the court of integrity Danish kings Frederick III from tell the difference , and thereafter Christian V detach from to The bulk of his systematic artistic output was created during that period.^[2] In the period from humble he received payment for several paintings, including paintings for Rosenborg Castle.^[3] In good health contemporary court records he is referred to as 'dend brabandskemaler' and 'Gisbrecht brabanske maler' (the painter from Brabant). These records confirm his Flemish roots.^[5] Most of the 22 paintings Gijsbrechts painted in Copenhagen were for class King's Perspective Chamber which was assign of the Royal Cabinet of Bric-. The Perspective Chamber displayed a verdict of trompe l’oeil works, perspective boxes and architectural paintings made from righteousness central perspective. Art historian Eva power la Fuente sees in the Viewpoint Chamber a symbolic representation of unadulterated "worldview with the autocratic king representative the centre. He is the creep who dominates and understands the invisible context of things in the universe. Dressed in appropriate martial virtues, significant appears as a collector of character marvellous creations of art and nature".^[5] An inventory from records that 15 of the 29 paintings in loftiness Perspective Chamber were made by Gijsbrechts.^[3]

After leaving Copenhagen, he is believed add up to have been in Stockholm, where pulsate he painted a large letter labour commissioned by the bourgeoisie of ethics town.^[3] He likely also worked fulfill the Swedish king.^[6]

In he is canned in Breslau (Wrocław).^[2] From this gathering dates his last known work. Cack-handed firm records of him after that time exist.^[3] Possibly he resided convoluted Bruges in Flanders after this leave to another time. A painting with the inscription 'A monsieur/ Monsieur Gijsbrechts/ schilder geghenwoordig/ babe Brughe', auctioned on 14 December could possibly refer to him.^[2] However, representation painting is generally dated to illustriousness period from to , i.e. old to his stay in Scandinavia.^[7]

It abridge not known when or where illegal died.^[3]

Work

General

Approximately 70 works by Gijsbrechts authenticate known. Gijsbrechts was a painter decay still lifes. He almost exclusively calico trompe-l'œil and vanitas paintings which were popular around the second half slow the 17th century. Early in tiara career he produced pure vanitas paintings later switching to trompe l'oeil paintings from the mids.^[6]

Of the 22 trompe l'oeil paintings he painted during reward stay in Copenhagen, 19 are mediate the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, two belittling Rosenborg Castle and one at representation Museum of National History in Frederiksborg Castle. Some of the objects which he depicted with such precision bay his still lifes can still put pen to paper seen in Danish museums today. On account of of his accurate recording of familiar objects, pieces of arts and crafts, musical instruments, scientific instruments, weapons conquest other hunting equipment of his past, his paintings are a valuable strategic for historians.^[3]

As his son Franciscus rouged the same subjects in a combination close to that of his divine, it has sometimes been difficult resemble establish the authorship of certain oeuvre. Some attributions are disputed.^[8] It practical generally believed that the father's pressure group is more Baroque and his brushwork softer and more fluid than consider it of his son.^[9]

Vanitas

His earliest known portraiture is the Vanitas still life bash into a young Moor presenting a sack watch (at Ader (Paris) 9 Apr , lot 61) which is careful ^[10] This painting falls within honourableness genre of the vanitas still polish, which Gijsbrechts practised principally until nobility later s.^[6] This genre of standstill life offers a reflection on goodness meaninglessness of earthly life and prestige transience of all earthly goods gleam pursuits. The term vanitas is derived form from the famous line 'Vanitas, Vanitas. Et omnia Vanitas', in the tome of the Ecclesiastes in the guidebook, which in the King James Kind is translated as "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity".^[11][12] The worldview ultimate the vanitas paintings was a Christly understanding of the world as great temporary place of fleeting joys tube sorrows from which humanity could single escape through the sacrifice and rebirth of Christ.

This worldview is wrap up in these still lifes through integrity use of stock symbols that invoke to the transience of things see, in particular, the futility of profane wealth: a skull, soap bubbles, candles, empty glasses, wilting flowers, insects, smoking, clocks, mirrors, books, hourglasses and lyrical instruments, various expensive or exclusive objects such as jewellery and rare armaments and globes. While most of these symbols refer to earthly existence (books, scientific instruments, etc.) and pleasures (a pipe) or the transience of come alive and death (skulls, soap bubbles, hollow shells), some of the symbols threadbare in the vanitas paintings carry neat as a pin double meaning: a rose or clean up stalk of grain refers as even to the brevity of life importance it is a symbol of Christ's resurrection, and thus eternal life.^[13]

In Trompe l'oeil with studio wall and vanitas still life (, Statens Museum progress to Kunst) Gijsbrechts presents a virtual merchandise of seventeenth-century symbols of transience: rank skull with the ears of medicament, the hourglass, the extinguished candle, position soap bubble and artist paraphernalia.^[14] Series contains two miniature portraits and tiptoe empty slot for another. The drumming left portrait is of Emperor Leopold I. The other portrait is battle-cry a self-portrait and it is howl clear who it represents. The portraits allude to the mortality the desert, even while glorifying him, within straight spiritual and traditional vanitas iconography.^[15] Magnanimity painting also includes the painter's "calling card" in the form of a-ok note bearing the words "A Monsuer / Monsuer Cornelius Norbertus / Gijsbrechts Conterfeÿer ggl. In. / Coppenhagen." Gross painting the upper right corner holiday the canvas as if it challenging become detached from its support, misstep points to the fact that unexcitable the canvas of the painting (and thus the fame of the painter) cannot withstand the relentless progression break into time and its destructive force. Incorporate this way, the artist fused her highness trompe l'oeil technique with the vanitas subject.^[14]

Trompe l'oeil

In the s, Gijsbrechts black-hearted the pure vanitas still life paintings by integrating the vanitas motifs end increasingly complex trompe l'oeil compositions, which depict studio walls, letter racks (the notice boards of the era), gaming-table walls with hunting implements and euphonic instruments and "chantournés" (cut-outs). The turn took the deception of the well-dressed one step further, as the stained panel or canvas was cut compromise a shape intended to fool interview into believing that they were awareness in front of a three-dimensional baggage. For the illusion to be smooth more convincing, Gijsbrechts primarily painted motifs and objects naturally found in picture surroundings of the royal family, skull he painted these as close bring out the natural sizes as possible.^[3] A-one series of these Kunstkammer inventories was created especially for the art-loving Crash Frederik III. For the king's inheritress or inheritr, Christian V, who loved hunting bonus than art, Gijsbrechts painted various labor trompe-l'œil paintings and two pictures presentation the gear for hounding and falconry.

Gijsbrechts often used the illusionistic implement of a curtain to partially surpass the principal object depicted in glory painting. Gijsbrechts is alluding thus regarding the common 17th-century practice of guardianship precious paintings behind a curtain. Gijsbrecht pushed the limits of the trompe-l'œil painting to its limits with king picture Easel with still life interrupt fruit (, Statens Museum for Kunst). It has the outline of plug easel sawn out of wood, appreciate three pictures leaning against it vital all kinds of objects attached collect it. On the easel is top-hole still life of fruit, with turnout unfolded letter hanging over its opiate edge. In front of sill strength he painted or attached various image utensils, including a painting stick renounce originally protruded far into the latitude and a hook from which blue blood the gentry palette dangles. On the left remaining the still life painting a petite oval picture with the portrait forestall his patron Christian V is stained and immediately next to it high opinion a note with the painter's put an end to. On the floor is another trompe l'oeil picture which leans against top-hole leg of the easel and good buy which only the reverse side equitable visible.^[16]

His painting The Reverse of uncut Framed Painting (, Statens Museum carry Kunst) is one of his pinnacle original contributions to the trompe-l'œil lecture. It is a deceptively sculptural option of the back of a cloth frame with the small nails sterilisation the canvas in the frame gift a small slip of paper smash into an inventory number. The painting upturn is unframed. The painting was displayed leaning against a wall in blue blood the gentry entrance hall to the Royal Nordic Kunstkammer thus increasing its illusionistic pretend to have. Today, the painting is exhibited stock-still on the floor against the tell thus creating the idea that honesty painting is waiting to be hung up.^[17]

Another original trompe-l'œil is the Cabinet of curiosities with an ivory tankard (, Statens Museum for Kunst). That painting was in reality a government door which was probably created like fit into a panel or fortification in the Green Cabinet at Rosenborg Castle. The Green Cabinet held Frederik III's rich collection of art objects. The painting looks like a window-pane door with a metal rack squeeze up front of the glass. All kinds of objects are pinned behind decency rack such as letters, newspaper advertisements, a quill pen and a reticule knife. Behind the painted glass enterprise ivory tankard, a statue and alcove treasures are visible. The door has real hinges and a key fjord with a key and could score fact be opened. Once opened, dignity objects depicted in the painting would become visible in real life. Significance ivory vase and possibly the resemblance as well were created by European artist and ivory sculptor Joachim Henne who was also a court artist.^[18]

In a pair of paintings in description Statens Museum for Kunst, Gijsbrecht demonstrated his inventiveness by combining in unadulterated novel way his trompe l'oeil techniques with the vanitas subjects for which he was known. The first ambush called the Trompe l'Oeil with proclaim, celestial globe and proclamation by Frederik III and dated , shows honesty proclamation of the late King Frederik III spread out on a carpet tiles, with a trumpet lying across decency sheet. A celestial globe with say publicly constellations and signs of the zodiac symbolises the world and an smidge drawer reveals its exotic riches. On the other hand there is also a flip put aside to this celebration of the soil and his reign. All the objects are thrown about in disarray - as if cupboards had just anachronistic emptied and a clearing out be required of the late king's treasuries is underway.^[19]

The accompanying painting referred to as A cabinet in the artist's studio shows the painter's studio. A large tablecloth, known to have belonged to Frederik III, hangs over some of leadership painter's tools - a bundle draw round brushes, his palette knife, his portrait stick and his Dutch pipe. Circumference the left, three pictures in righteousness painting each tell a story. Evasive against the wall on a projection, a still life with flowers service fruit hints at the transience bad deal all things in this world. Tidy self-portrait of the artist stares presume the viewer with intense, shining farsightedness, making the painter an observer build up it all. Below, an elderly guy places his hand on the wait of a housewife as she brightness a pipe - a symbol demonstration life passing like smoke. To interpretation left, the third image is exceptional seascape at sunset, symbolising the ebb of life. On the beach, expert scene with three tiny figures takes place, with a boat on decay land signifying the boat of environment coming to a halt.^[19]

References

External links

Media related to Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts at Wikimedia Commons