|
Joachim Beuckelaer
(1533-1573)
|
Joachim Beuckelaer was a 16th century Belgian artist, who was born and died in Antwerp. He came from a family of artists and was a pupil of his uncle, Pieter Aertsen, whose market scenes were extremely popular. Initially influenced by his teacher in his choice of subject matter, Beuckelaer soon developed his own iconographic versions of kitchen and market scenes. |
|
The Cook
|
Market Scene
|
|
In the early 1560s, he was already developing his unmistakable style, which was characterized by the background being moved to the depths of the painting while the foreground was brought right up to its surface, with no harmonizing middle ground between them. These market scenes remained popular and sought-after way into the 17th century. |
Slaughtered Pig
|
Market Scene with Chicken
|
| They show rural life from the perspective of town dwellers, a way of life which was often caricatured, but also idealized. Some art critics also believe that Beukelaer also included religious allusions into the background of his compositions in order to purvey his own moral themes, one of which was the Four Elements. |
The Four Elements, Air, A Poultry Market with the Prodigal Son in the Background
Courtesy The National Gallery, London
|
The Four Elements, Earth
|
The Four Elements, Fire
Courtesy The National Gallery, London
|
The Four Elements, Water
|
| Art historians believe that his style was influenced by northern Italian masters, and that he was likely influenced by Annibale Carracci. During his lifetime, he also created landscapes of the riverbanks and forests of northern Europe. However, Beuckelaer created so many market scenes for which he became known that he and other artists of the time flooded the market with them. As a result, his work was not as valuable until after his death. Interestingly, art historians also credit Beukelaer as being the first artist to ever depict fish stalls. |
The Fish Market
|
Fish Market
|
| One of Beukelaer’s particularly favorite compositions was to paint a seated woman with overflowing baskets of produce, in an almost cornucopian fashion. Note the exquisite detailing on Beukelaer’s heads of cabbage in particular. While his study of human anatomy was good, Beuielaer was indefinitely a master at painting still life. |
Market Woman with Fruit, Vegetables and Poultry
|
The Vegetable Seller
|
| We appraise paintings by Beuckelaer, from his workshop, and by his followers. |
| |
|
Back to Artists |
|
|
|
