Gaspar Peeter II Verbruggen - atributed (1664-1730)

FLORAL COMPOSITION WITH PUTTI

Oil on canvas, 174x127 cm (205x155 cm). Carved, gilt and period frame. This monumentally conceived Baroque painting presents a highly decorative synthesis of a floral still life and an allegorical figural scene. The generous composition focuses attention on an opulent bouquet in a vase, whose rich blossoms stand out with almost sculptural plasticity and impressive colour. In the lower part, a playful scene of two putti unfolds – a motif frequently used by Flemish masters at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries to express joy, abundance or earthly pleasures. The painting captivates not only through the artistic brilliance of the floral details, but also through the harmonious connection of static and lively elements: while the bouquet symbolises beauty, transience and luxury, the putti bring life and a light humour to the composition. The accompanying architecture and sculptural element in the background place the scene in an environment of aristocratic representation and underline its festive character. The work can be understood as a celebration of abundance, beauty and the joy of life in the spirit of late Flemish Baroque, with a strong decorative quality that makes it attractive both to collectors and to stylish interiors. The painting shows features characteristic of the influence of late Flemish Baroque painting at the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century, especially of the circle around Pieter Verbruggen the Younger (1648–1722). The motif of a monumental vase with a richly arranged bouquet, accompanied by putti in playful or allegorical interaction, is typical of Flemish decorative Baroque painting following on from Jacob Jordaens, Jan van den Hecke, Daniel Seghers and especially the group of painters associated with the Verbruggen workshops. The painting combines a floral still life with a figural scene, which is characteristic of the “Verbruggen circle”. Further similarities can be found in the composition and painterly rendering of the bouquet. The flowers are painted with emphasis on striking volume, dramatic colours, strong light accents and a rich variety of species – roses, peonies, carnations, cornflowers, tulips, field flowers. For Verbruggen, the oversized bouquet dominating the entire surface and creating an almost architectural impression without strict adherence to botanical accuracy is typical. The colour scheme combines warm fleshy tones of the flowers with contrasting cooler shades and deep half-shadow, which corresponds to the Flemish Baroque painting tradition. The light models the flowers almost sculpturally – in this one can see a parallel with the sculptural Verbruggen family, where the sense for rich decoration and spatiality naturally intertwined. The putti show a style that follows late Baroque Flemish ornamental figuration: soft body modelling, rosy-pearl skin, dynamic gesture and interaction, often with a slightly comic or playful tone, which is again quite typical for the Verbruggen workshop, as is the integration of architectural elements into the compositional scheme of the painting. Precise authorship cannot be confirmed without conservation research and comparison with originally signed works. However, the attribution to the circle or workshop of Gaspar Peeter Verbruggen II is supported by all the above-mentioned examples and appears the most probable for the classification of the painting. Condition B.