Lot 285: JAKOB FERDINAND SAEYS

JAKOB FERDINAND SAEYS ANTWERP 1658 - 1735 VIENNA A CLASSICAL PORTICO WITH AN ELEGANT COMPANY GATHERED BY A FOUNTAIN signed and dated lower center: Saeys 1694 oil on canvas 36 3/4 by 27 7/8 in.; 93.3 by 73.3 cm.

Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, 7 June 2002, lot 69;
There purchased by the present owner.

Saeys' training with the Antwerp-based painter of architectural views, Wilhelm von Ehrenberg, greatly influenced Saeys' choice of subject matter. Here, the monumental portico, before which an elegant company has gathered is a superb example of the master's fanciful architectural renderings. The sharp light cast on the building and the way in which the pale sky sets off the composition are particularly striking elements that contribute to the artist's success in suggesting scale and volume. The inclusion of elements such as the peacock and page boy add a playful dimension to the painting. The picture is dated 1694, a decade after Saeys moved to Vienna, and the same year as his wedding to Maria van Risman.