Flemish School, 17th Century

A Commedia dell’Arte scene,
with indistinct monogram lower left,
oil on panel, 27 x 39 cm, framed
The present, nocturnal scene, enlivened by torch-burning, masked figures, is a vivid testament to the visual impact touring Commedia dell’Arte troupes had upon Flemish society in the early seventeenth century. The van Valckenborch family of artists were inspired by the vivid palette of the costumes of these Italianate showmen, often re-purposed for Flanders’s own resurgent carnival traditions strengthened by the Counter-Reformation, although the handling of the figures here suggests a less mannered hand. The central lady, when compared with contemporary costume books, appears to be in Alpine dress, although the dramatic significance of this is now apparently lost to us.
Specialist: Damian Brenninkmeyer