16 Works, October 15th. is Juan Bautista Maíno's day, his art, illustrated with footnotes #223

Fray Juan Bautista Maíno, Pastrana, 1581 – Madrid, 1649

Pentecost: the descent of the Holy Spirit

Oil on canvas

Private collection

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. More on this painting

Friar Juan Bautista Maíno, or Mayno (October 1581, Pastrana – 1 April 1649, Madrid) was a Spanish Baroque painter.

Fray Juan Bautista Maíno, Pastrana, 1581 – Madrid, 1649

Virgin and Child

Oil on copper

17.5 x 13 cm.

Private collection

Of particular interest in this work is the fragment of landscape that emerges behind the Virgin and occupies a significant part of the painting’s surface. Its significant quality indicates close contact

with Orazio Gentileschi: which is suggested above all by the trunk on the tree on the right, with white reflections, which could easily be the work of Orazio’s brush and belong to one of his coppers. This likeness leads us to propose a very early timeframe for the painting of this copper, closely related, therefore, to Maíno’s Italian sojourn, that is, between 1611 and 1612. Gianni Papi

Fray Juan Bautista Maíno, Pastrana, 1581 – Madrid, 1649

The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John the Baptist

Oil on Canvas

110.5cm x 92.5cm

Private collection

His father was a merchant who sold Milanese fabrics and his mother was a Portuguese noblewoman. Both were at the service of Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Eboli, who was also the Duchess of Pastrana. Some historians believe that he trained with El Greco, but no documentary evidence has been found. It is known for certain that he spent the years 1600 to 1608 in Italy, where he became familiar with, and was influenced by, the works of Caravaggio and his students Orazio Gentileschi, Guido Reni and Annibale Carracci. When he returned to Pastrana, he revealed those influences in a "Trinity", painted for the side altar at the Monasterio de Concepcionistas Franciscanas.

Juan Bautista Mayno  (1581–1649)

The conversion of Saint Paul, c. 1614

Oil painting

Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

Saul of Tarsus, on his way to Damascus to annihilate the Christian community there, is struck blind by a brilliant light and hears the voice of Christ saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?...And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but they heard not the voice..." (Acts 22:6-11). Elsewhere Paul claims to have seen Christ during the vision, and it is on this basis that he grounds his claim be recognised as an Apostle: "Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" More on The conversion of Saint Paul

In March 1611, he moved to Toledo and, the following year, painted an "Altarpiece of the Four Days of Easter" for the Dominicans, which is now at the Museo del Prado. It is, perhaps, his best known work. Also notable are canvases depicting the "Adoration of the Magi" (See above) and the "Adoration of the Shepherds" (See above).

MAINO, Fray Juan Bautista, (b. 1581, Pastrana, d. 1649, Madrid)

Adoration of the Kings, c. 1612

Oil on canvas

315 x 174 cm

Museo del Prado, Madrid

The Adoration of the Magi (anglicized from the Matthean Vulgate Latin section title: A Magis adoratur) is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by following a star, lay before him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and worship him. More on the Adoration of the Magi

The Adoration of the Magi is one of Maíno’s most important and highly praised works. It was designed to occupy the right-hand side of the altarpiece for the high altar of the church of San Pedro Mártir in Toledo and was located on the lower level of that ensemble. Thus, it was devised as a compositional pair and counterpoint to the Adoration of the Shepherds (See below). More on this painting

MAINO, Fray Juan Bautista, (b. 1581, Pastrana, d. 1649, Madrid)

Adoration of the Shepherds, c. 1612

Oil on canvas

315 x 174 cm

Museo del Prado, Madrid

Closely following the Gospel of Saint Luke (2:7-14), this composition illustrates the moment when a group of shepherds and angels contemplate and venerate the Infant Christ. The scene is set in a ruined building as dusk falls, to judge from the evening light visible in the background. The figures are arranged on three, clearly differentiated levels. The centre of the canvas shows the Virgin and Saint Joseph kneeling before the Christ Child, who lies on a stone block padded with grass and corn stalks. A little way away from this group but level with it, a middle-aged shepherd of robust appearance contemplates the Infant, his right hand holding a kid by one of its horns while his left hand is placed on his breast in a sign of respect, acknowledgement and affection. Leaning over the wall enclosing this central scene and close to Saint Joseph are the heads of the ox and the ass. The upper part of the canvas is filled with a group of angels who watch the scene with interest, while in the lower part two young shepherds recline on the ground, one playing the flute and the one, nearer the viewer, turning his back to the principal scene. More on this painting

MAINO, Fray Juan Bautista, (b. 1581, Pastrana, d. 1649, Madrid)

Adoration of the Shepherds, c. 1612

Oil on canvas

315 x 174 cm

Museo del Prado, Madrid

The Adoration of the Shepherds, in the Nativity of Jesus in art, is a scene in which shepherds are near witnesses to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, arriving soon after the actual birth. It is often combined in art with the Adoration of the Magi, in which case it is typically just referred to by the latter title. The Annunciation to the Shepherds, when they are summoned by an angel to the scene, is a distinct subject. More on The Adoration of the Shepherds

The Adoration of the Shepherds is the work of a painter fully immersed in the art of Caravaggio. Maino appropriated not only Caravaggio's distinctive human types, seen especially in the angels and the shepherd in the right corner, but also his characteristic use of light and his love of intricate, studied compositions. Furthermore, Maino was able to fathom Caravaggio's dazzling surface effects and comprehend his profoundly human sense of religious feeling. In the most moving passage of the painting, St Joseph kneels beside the Christ Child and tenderly, almost reverently, kisses his wrist, subtly fusing feelings of paternal love and spiritual revelation. In this work, Maino reproduces the flamboyance of Caravaggio's early Roman style, exaggerating it by heightening the luster and brilliant colour of the exotic costumes, an effect that he possibly appropriated from the Dutch and Flemish "Caravaggisti", who were in Rome at the same time. More on this painting

Maíno, Fray Juan Bautista

The Pentecost, c. 1612 - 1614

Oil on canvas

Height: 285 cm.; Width: 163 cm.

Museo del Prado, Madrid

The Christian Pentecost is based on the New Testament, where it refers to the occasion of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ, as described in the Acts of the Apostles. According to Luke, the Descent of the Holy Spirit took place while the Apostles were celebrating the Jewish day of Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, a prominent feast in the calendar of ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law to Moses at Sinai. Subsequently, the term Pentecost may refer to the Pentecost of the New Testament and Shavuot of the Old Testament. The Shavuot of the Old Testament is a significant event shared by Jewish and Christian traditions but is not commonly celebrated as a separate holiday by Christians. More on the Pentecost

The traditional hierarchical arrangement generally located Mary at the centre, symmetrically flanked by the Apostles. Maíno, however, chose to shift Mary towards the left in the middle-ground, close to and slightly behind the Magdalen, who is here presented as another member of the group of Apostles. As a result the two most striking and important figures are Saint Peter and Saint Luke in the foreground. For Spear, this arrangement was based on Brescian traditions prior to Caravaggio, while the precise rendering of the details, the clarity of the modelling and the effects of chiaroscuro all point to a new vision associated with Roman Caravaggesque painting. More on this painting

In June 1613, he entered the Dominican Order and took up residence at the Monastery of San Pedro Mártir. This reduced his artistic activity, although he created other versions of the "Adoration of the Shepherds", one of which is at the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. Another may be seen at the Meadows Museum in Dallas.

Maíno, Fray Juan Bautista

Saint John the Baptist, c. Before 1613

Oil on Copper alloy

Height: 19.3 cm.; Width: 14.4 cm.

Museo del Prado, Madrid

John the Baptist, known as the prophet Yahya in the Qur'an, was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD. John is revered as a major religious figure in Christianity, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, and Mandaeism. He is called a prophet by all of these traditions, and honoured as a saint in many Christian traditions.

 

John used baptism as the central sacrament of his messianic movement.[ Most scholars agree that John baptized Jesus. Scholars generally believe Jesus was a follower or disciple of John and several New Testament accounts report that some of Jesus' early followers had previously been followers of John. John the Baptist is also mentioned by the Jewish historian Josephus. Some scholars maintain that John was influenced by the semi-ascetic Essenes, who expected an apocalypse and practiced rituals corresponding strongly with baptism, although no direct evidence substantiates this.

 

According to the New Testament, John anticipated a messianic figure greater than himself, and Jesus was the one whose coming John foretold. Christians commonly refer to John as the precursor or forerunner of Jesus, since John announces Jesus' coming. John is also identified with the prophet Elijah. More on John the Baptist

Maíno, Fray Juan Bautista

The Penitent Magdalene in the Grotto of Sainte-Baume, c. 1612 - 1614

Oil on Panel

Height: 60.6 cm.; Width: 154.8 cm.

Museo del Prado, Madrid

A sinner, perhaps a courtesan, Mary Magdalen was a witness of Christ who renounced the pleasures of the flesh for a life of penance and contemplation. Penitent Magdalene or Penitent Magdalen refers to a post-biblical period in the life of Mary Magdalene, according to medieval legend. 

According to the tenets of the 17th–century Catholic church, Mary Magdalene was an example of the repentant sinner and consequently a symbol of the Sacrament of Penance. According to legend, Mary led a dissolute life until her sister Martha persuaded her to listen to Jesus Christ. She became one of Christ's most devoted followers and he absolved her of her former sins. More on The Penitent Magdalen

The Magdalen is shown reclining on the ground, leaning in part against a rock. The figure’s pose is inverted in comparison to the painting and print, in both of which the Magdalen is located on the left of the composition with the landscape occupying the right-hand side. By doing so he was conforming to the horizontal format commonly favoured for predella panels from medieval times onwards, and one that was widely used in Baroque painting. Thus, he covered her breast, but he also pulled back her long hair to reveal her arm and shoulder and he emphasised her calves and feet, which, were considered extremely erotic parts of the body at this date. With her hands clasped, the young woman directs her gaze towards the cross that leans on two small boulders to her right, painted in a dark tone to make them stand out within the composition. As in Carracci’s version, the Magdalen makes the cross the object of her meditations, although her face lacks any sign of suffering or sorrow. More on this painting

Juan Bautista Mayno  (1581–1649)

Magdalena penitente, c. 1615

Oil on canvas

Private collection

Maíno, Fray Juan Bautista

Saint Catherine of Siena, c. 1612 - 1614

Oil on Panel

Height: 118 cm.; Width: 92 cm.

Museo del Prado, Madrid

Saint Catherine of Siena, T.O.S.D. (March 25, 1347 in Siena – April 29, 1380 in Rome), was a tertiary of the Dominican Order and a Scholastic philosopher and theologian. She also worked to bring the papacy of Gregory XI back to Rome from its displacement in France and to establish peace among the Italian city-states. Since 18 June 1939, she is one of the two patron saints of Italy, together with St. Francis of Assisi. On 3 October 1970, she was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Paul VI, and on 1 October 1999, Pope John Paul II named her as one of the six patron saints of Europe, together with Benedict of Nursia, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Bridget of Sweden and Edith Stein. More on Saint Catherine of Siena

Saint Catherine is depicted in profile, deeply engrossed in prayer and looking up to the part of the altarpiece that housed the image of the crucified Christ. Her slightly parted lips suggest that she is praying. Dressed in the Dominican habit, her hands bear the wounds inflicted on Christ on the cross and her head sports a crown of thorns, a direct allusion to the Dominican tradition that saw Saint Catherine as an image of the Passion of Christ. As a female type she conforms to Maíno’s standard model, with a small, well-defined mouth and pronounced chin. More on this painting

Maíno, Fray Juan Bautista

Judith with the Head of Holofernes, c. 1620s

Oil on canvas

127.5 x 101 cm (50 1/4 x 39 3/4 in.)

Private collection

Salome was the daughter of Herod II and Herodias. She is infamous for demanding and receiving the head of John the Baptist, according to the New Testament. According to Flavius Josephus's Jewish Antiquities, Salome was first married to Philip the Tetrarch of Ituraea and Trakonitis. After Philip's death in 34 AD she married Aristobulus of Chalcis and became queen of Chalcis and Armenia Minor. They had three children. Three coins with portraits of Aristobulus and Salome have been found. Her name in Hebrew meaning "peace". More on Salome

The painting was first published in 1952 by Roberto Longhi with an attribution to Louis Finson; in 1979, Benedict Nicolson placed it more tentatively in the “circle of Finson,” together with the Madonna of the Rosary then assigned to Cavarozzi (Christie’s, London, 29 March 1974). In 1989, when the painting was at the New York gallery of Piero Corsini, it was presented with a conjectural attribution to Cecco di Caravaggio. Subsequently it passed to the dealer Scardeoni in Lugano, from there to a private Swiss collection, and finally into the Koelliker collection. More recently, Gianni Papi has variously attributed the work to Cecco di Caravaggio, and to the Spanish painter Juan Bautista Maino, though Leticia Ruiz Gómez, curator of the 2009 exhibition devoted to the Spanish artist at the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, has jettisoned this suggestion in favor of an attribution to Cecco or an artist in his close orbit. Further scholars have opined that the work, which combines Caravaggist tenebrism with a sumptuously Mannerist affect bears some similarities with the work of Abraham Bloemaert. Thus the attribution of this work remains an open, and intriguing, question. More on this painting

King Philip III called him to his Court in 1620, to teach drawing to his son, the future King Philip IV. At that time, Maíno became a sponsor of the young Diego Velázquez; choosing him, in a contest, to paint an "Expulsion of the Moors", which helped establish him at court. That painting did not survive the disastrous fire at the Royal Alcázar of Madrid in 1734.  

In 1630 the count-duke of Olivares decided to initiate a lavish program of artistic display by the construction of a new pleasure palace on the eastern border of Madrid which came to be known as the Buen Retiro. 

VELÁZQUEZ, DIEGO RODRÍGUEZ DE SILVA Y

Sevilla (Spain), 1599 - Madrid (Spain), 1660

The Surrender of Breda in 1625, c. 1634-35

Oil on canvas

Museo del Prado, Madrid

The Surrender of Breda depicts a military victory, the 1624 Siege of Breda, during the Eighty Years War. This war began due to a revolt against Philip II of Spain by the Seventeen Provinces, which today includes the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Velázquez captured the end of the battle, as he also differentiated the two sides, one which is the Dutch, and the other side, the Spanish.[3] The painting presents the Spanish as a strong force, while including both sides of the battle and depicting facial expressions of fatigue that reflect the reality of war. More on this painting

The Hall of Realms was the principal ceremonial room in the Buen Retiro Palace. Paintings in the Hall of realms, executed in 1634-35, offer a straightforward program designed to magnify the power of the Spanish monarchy. Two works fell into the hands of Juan Bautista Maino and Antonio de Pereda.

MAINO, Fray Juan Bautista, (b. 1581, Pastrana, d. 1649, Madrid)

The Recapture of Bahia in 1625, c. 1634-35

Oil on canvas

309 x 381 cm

Museo del Prado, Madrid

The recapture from the Dutch of the city of San Salvador de Bahía de Todos los Santos was one of the most glorious feats of arms in the eventful year of 1625, which also saw the surrender of the city of Breda, the rescue of Genoa from the French siege and the defeat of the English at Cadiz.

Velázquez and Maino break fresh ground in their battle compositions, the Surrender of Breda (See above) and the Recapture of Bahia (See above), which share a common premise by interpreting the clash of arms as a clash of emotions. 

Maino includes the count-duke's portrait to glorify the minister as the author of the victory. The wounded soldier evokes a Christian martyrdom in order to arouse admiration and compassion for those who risk their lives in defence of the monarchy. The Recapture of Bahia is painted in Maino's crisp, burnished manner, which he effortlessly revived for the occasion. More on The Hall of Realms

Maíno, Fray Juan Bautista

Saint John the Evangelist in Patmos, c. 1612 - 1614

Oil on canvas

Height: 74 cm.; Width: 163 cm.

Museo Nacional del Prado

Saint John the Apostle, also called Saint John the Evangelist or Saint John the Divine (flourished 1st century ce), in Christian tradition, the author of three letters, the Fourth Gospel, and the Revelation to John in the New Testament. He played a leading role in the early church at Jerusalem.

John was the son of Zebedee, a Galilean fisherman, and Salome. John and his brother James were among the first disciples called by Jesus. In the Gospel According to Mark he is always mentioned after James and was no doubt the younger brother. His mother was among those women who ministered to the circle of disciples. James and John were called by Jesus “Boanerges,” or “sons of thunder,” perhaps because of some character trait such as the zeal exemplified in Mark 9:38 and Luke 9:54, when John and James wanted to call down fire from heaven to punish the Samaritan towns that did not accept Jesus. John and his brother, together with Simon Peter, formed an inner nucleus of intimate disciples. In the Fourth Gospel, ascribed by early tradition to John, the sons of Zebedee are mentioned only once, as being at the shores of the Sea of Tiberias when the risen Lord appeared; whether the “disciple whom Jesus loved” (who is never named) mentioned in this Gospel is to be identified with John (also not named) is not clear from the text. More on Saint John

Maíno devised a slightly unbalanced composition, locating both the figure of the saint as well as the principal elements of the landscape on the right-hand side and filling the left with the sea and the compact blue mass of the sky. His intention in doing so was to emphasise the traditional insular character of Patmos and the vastness of the sea that surrounded the saint as he composed the Revelation of Saint John the Divine in his retreat on this Aegean island. More on this painting

He died at the Colegio y convento de Santo Tomás in Madrid. Friar Juan Rizi may have been one of his students there.

Juan Bautista Maíno was always a little recognized artist and an unknown Dominican. In 2009 the curator of the Prado Museum Leticia Ruiz Gómez organized an exhibition on the figure of the Dominican that serves to recover Juan Bautista by discovering him as one of the best painters of the seventeenth century. More on Juan Bautista Maíno

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19 Works, Aug 19th. is Gerbrand van den Eeckhout's day, his story, illustrated with footnotes #196

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

Adoration of the Magi

Oil on canvas

111 x 146 cm

Private collection

The Adoration of the Magi (anglicized from the Matthean Vulgate Latin section title: A Magis adoratur) is the name traditionally given to the subject in the Nativity of Jesus in art in which the three Magi, represented as kings, especially in the West, having found Jesus by following a star, lay before him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and worship him. More on the Adoration of the Magi

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (19 August 1621 – 29 September 1674), was a Dutch Golden Age painter and a favourite student of Rembrandt. He was also an etcher, an amateur poet, a collector and an adviser on art.

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

Judah and Tamar, c. between circa 1620 and circa 1700

Oil on panel

Height: 108.5 cm (42.7 in); Width: 130 cm (51.1 in)

Residenzgalerie Salzburg

In the Book of Genesis, Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah, as well as the mother of two of his children. Tamar is first described as marrying Judah's eldest son, Er. Because of his wickedness, Er was killed by God. By way of a Levirate union, Judah asked his second son, Onan, to provide offspring for Tamar so that the family line might continue. 

Onan's actions were deemed wicked by God and so, like his older brother, he died prematurely. At this point, Judah is portrayed as viewing Tamar to be cursed and therefore as being reluctant to give her his remaining and youngest son Shelah. Rather, he tells Tamar to wait for Shelah. However, even after Shelah has grown up, Judah still does not give Tamar to him in marriage.

Judah became a widower. After Judah mourned the death of his wife, he planned on going to Timnah to shear his sheep. Upon hearing this news, Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and immediately went to Enaim which was en route to Judah's destination. Upon arriving at Enaim, Judah saw the woman but did not recognize her as Tamar because of the veil she wore over her face. Thinking she was a prostitute, he requested her services. Tamar's plan was to become pregnant by this ruse in order to bear a child in Judah's line, because Judah had not given her to his son Shelah. So she played the part of a prostitute and struck a deal with Judah for a goat with a security deposit of his staff, seal, and cord. When Judah was able to have a goat sent to Enaim, in order to collect his staff and seal, the woman was nowhere to be found and no one knew of any prostitute in Enaim. 

Three months later, Tamar was accused of prostitution on account of her pregnancy. Upon hearing this news, Judah ordered that she be burned to death. Tamar sent the staff, seal, and cord to Judah with a message declaring that the owner of these items was the man who had made her pregnant. Upon recognizing his security deposit, Judah released Tamar from her sentence. Tamar's place in the family and Judah's posterity secured, she gives birth to twins, Perez and Zerah. More on Judah and Tamar

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (Amsterdam 1621-1674)

Judah and Hira the Adullamite, c. 1670

Oil on canvas

24 x 28½ in. (61 x 72.4 cm.)

Private collection

Sold for GBP 138,650 in Jul 2002

Judah could not claim ignorance when he participated in pagan rituals with a prostitute. Ashamed, he asks his friend to return to the prostitute with her payment and retrieve his personal items from hock. But the cult prostitute was gone. Both Judah and Hirah agreed to forget the matter so Judah would not become a local laughingstock. His relative morality was at a low point. He was about to briefly get a boost in his public self-righteousness.

The present painting shows a rarely depicted moment in the story of Judah and Thamar, when Hira the Adullamite, a friend and servant of Judah, returned with the kid that Judah and promised to the prostitute 'And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman's hand; but he found her not.' More on this painting

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

The Levite at Gibeah, c. early 1640s

Oil on canvas

96.5 x 121.9 cm (38 x 48 in.)

The National Gallery of Art, Washington

The episode of the Levite at Gibeah, also known as the Benjamite War, is a biblical narrative in of the Book of Judges. It concerns a Levite from Ephraim and his concubine, who travel through the Benjamite city of Gibeah and are assailed by a mob, who wish to gang-rape the Levite. He turns his concubine over to the crowd, and they rape her until she collapses. The Levite dismembers her and presents the remains to the other tribes of Israel. Outraged by the incident, the tribes swear that none shall give his daughter to the Benjamites for marriage, and launch a war which nearly wipes out the clan, leaving only 600 surviving men. However, the punitive expedition is overcome by remorse, fearing that it will cause the extinction of an entire tribe. They circumvent the oath by pillaging and massacring the city of Jabesh-Gilead, none of whose residents partook in the war or in the vow, and capturing its 400 maidens for the Benjaminites. The 200 men still lacking women are subtly allowed to abduct the maidens dancing at Shiloh. More on the Levite at Gibeah

The subject of this painting is after the Levite had married the woman of inferior status from Bethlehem, they quarreled and the concubine left him and returned to her father’s house. The Levite soon followed and retrieved her. On their journey home, they unsuccessfully searched the town of Gibeah for a place to sleep until finally a field laborer offered the couple lodging in his house. This is the moment depicted by Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, who painted at least three versions of this scene. More on this painting

Gerbrand was born in Amsterdam, the son of a jeweller, a Mennonite who fled after 1585 from Antwerp to the north. In 1631 his mother died. His father's second wife was Cornelia Dedel, the daughter of a founder of the Delft chamber of the Dutch East India Company.

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

Alexander and the Wives of Darius, c. 1662/65

Oil on canvas

206.8 x 239.1 cm

Alte Pinakothek, Munich

In November 333, Alexander defeated Darius III Codomannus in the battle of Issus. It was a brilliant victory, but Greek author Plutarch of Chaeronea, a philosopher and a moralist, is more interested in Alexander's courteous behavior after the battle. 

But as he was going to supper, word was brought him that Darius' mother and wife and two unmarried daughters, being taken among the rest of the prisoners, upon the sight of his chariot and bow, were all in mourning and sorrow, imagining him to be dead. 

After a little pause, more lively affected with their affliction than with his own success, he sent Leonnatus to them, to let them know Darius was not dead, and that they need not fear any harm from Alexander, who made war upon him only for dominion; they should themselves be provided with everything they had been used to receive from Darius. More on Alexander and the Wives of Darius

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout  (1621–1674)

The Continence of Scipio, c. between 1650 and 1655

Oil on canvas

Height: 133 cm (52.3 in) Width: 168 cm (66.1 in)

Rijksmuseum

The painting shows the moment when Scipio informs the groom that he can have his bride, as well as the riches that the bride's parents have just paid in ransom. Of the riches displayed, the ewer of the Amsterdam silversmith's guild, a famous silver object by Adam van Vianen, is also in the Rijksmuseum collection. Van den Eeckhout made another version of the same subject, that also features the ewer (lying on its side), which is now in the collection of the Toledo Museum of Art. More on this painting

Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus was a Roman general and later consul who is often regarded as one of the best military commanders and strategists of all time. His main achievements were during the Second Punic War. His greatest military achievement was the defeat of Hannibal at the Battle of Zama (near modern Zama, Tunisia) in 202 BC. More on Scipio

The Continence of Scipio, or The Clemency of Scipio, is an episode recounted by Livy of the Roman general Scipio Africanus during his campaign in Spain during the Second Punic War. He refused a generous ransom for a young female prisoner, returning her to her fiancé Allucius, who in return became a supporter of Rome. In recognition of his magnanimous treatment of a prisoner, he was taken as one of the prime examples of mercy during warfare in classical times. Interest in the story revived in the Renaissance and the episode figured widely thereafter in both the literary and visual arts, as well as opera. More on The Continence of Scipio

In an imaginary architectural setting, Scipio stands between his men on a platform. In front of it stands the woman who was presented to him with her lover. The woman's parents kneel before the general and offer him gold and silver objects, including Adam van Vianen's famous drinking horn. More on this painting

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (Amsterdam 1621-1674)

Jacob and Rachel, c. 1660

Oil on canvas

44½ x 49½ in. (113 x 126 cm.)

Private collection

Sold for GBP 109,250 in Dec 2008

Rachel is first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible in Genesis 29 when Jacob happens upon her as she is about to water her father's flock. She was the second daughter of Laban. Jacob had traveled a great distance to find Laban. His mother Rebekah had sent him there to be safe from his furious twin brother, Esau.

 

During Jacob's stay, he fell in love with Rachel and agreed to work seven years for Laban in return for her hand in marriage. On the night of the wedding, the bride was veiled and Jacob did not notice that Leah, Rachel's older sister, had been substituted for Rachel. Whereas "Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful," "Leah had tender eyes". Later Jacob confronted Laban, who excused his own deception by insisting that the older sister should marry first. He assured Jacob that after his wedding week was finished, he could take Rachel as a wife as well, and work another seven years as payment for her. When God “saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb”, and she gave birth to four sons.

 

Rachel was unable to conceive, and became jealous of Leah. She gave Jacob her maidservant, Bilhah, to be a surrogate mother for her. Bilhah gave birth to two sons that Rachel named and raised. Leah responds by offering her handmaid Zilpah to Jacob, and names and raises the two sons that Zilpah bears. After Leah conceived again, Rachel was finally blessed with a son, Joseph. More on Jacob and Rachel

Unlike many of van den Eeckhout's other history paintings, the figures in the painting of Jacob and Rachel engage directly with the viewer and it would thus appear possible that this painting also serves as an elegant family portrait, or portrait historié, of a newly-wed couple. More on this painting

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

Jesus preaches by the Sea of ​​Galilee

Oil on wood

76 x 108 cm

Private collection

Estimated for €7,800 EUR - €8,000 EUR in March 2012

The majority of Jesus’ ministry is around the Sea of Galilee. Located north of the Jordan River, east of Nazareth, just south of Syria, and some 40 miles from Jerusalem, it’s peculiar why Jesus chose this northern region of Palestine to begin his ministry. Even though we might consider Nazareth set apart from the Galilean area today, it was part of the same district in Jesus’ time (Matthew 2:22-23), so essentially Jesus was on his home turf, or fairly close to it. More on Jesus and the Sea of ​​Galilee

Arnold Houbraken records Van den Eeckhout was a pupil of Rembrandt. A fellow pupil to Ferdinand Bol, Nicolaes Maes and Govert Flinck, but regarded as inferior to them in skill and experience; he soon assumed Rembrandt's manner with such success that his pictures were confused with those of his master.

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, 1621-1674

Vertumnus and Pomona

Oil on canvas

127.5 x 103.5 cms | 50 x 40 1/2 ins

Private collection

In Roman mythology, Vertumnus is the god of seasons, change and plant growth, as well as gardens and fruit trees. He could change his form at will; using this power, according to Ovid's Metamorphoses (xiv), he tricked Pomona into talking to him by disguising himself as an old woman and gaining entry to her orchard, then using a narrative warning of the dangers of rejecting a suitor to seduce her. More on Vertumnus and Pomona

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, 1621-1674

Volumnia Pleading With Her Son Coriolanus To Spare Rome

Oil on canvas

207 x 170 cms | 81 1/4 x 66 3/4 ins

Private collection

Volumnia is a character in William Shakespeare's play Coriolanus, the mother of Caius Martius Coriolanus. She plays a large role in Coriolanus' life, encouraging him in his military success and urging him to seek political office. When the people of Rome put her son in exile and he joins their military enemies, she manages to persuade him not to besiege Rome and becomes a heroine to the city. More on Volumnia

Eeckhout does not merely copy the subjects; he also takes the shapes, the figures, the dress and the pictorial effects of his master. It is difficult to form an exact judgment of Eeckhout's qualities at the outset of his career. His earliest pieces are probably those in which he more faithfully reproduced Rembrandt's peculiarities. Exclusively his is a tinge of green in shadows marring the harmony of the work, a gaudiness of jarring tints, uniform surface and a touch more quick than subtle.

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout  (1621–1674)

Portrait of Isaac Commelin, c. 1669

Oil on canvas

Height: 70.7 cm (27.8 in); Width: 55.6 cm (21.8 in)

Städel Museum

Isaac Commelin (19 October 1598, Amsterdam - 13 January 1676, Amsterdam) was a Dutch historian, a member of the vroedschap and a manager of a charity hospital, providing help to the sick and poor. More on Isaac Commelin

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout  (1621–1674)

Soldiers in a Guardroom

Oil on panel

Height: 36.2 cm (14.2 in); Width: 29.2 cm (11.4 in)

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

Four soldiers in a guardroom smoking, drinking and playing cards

Oil on canvas

47 by 58.5 cm.; 18 1/2 by 23 in.

Private collection

Estimated for  £40,000 GBP - £60,000 GBP in July 07, 2011

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (Dutch, 1621–1674)

Soldiers seated around a table playing backgammon , c. 1655

Oil on canvas

52.8 x 62.4 cm. (20.8 x 24.6 in.)

Private collection

Estimated for £150,000 GBP - £250,000 GBP in December 2014

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (Dutch, 1621–1674)

An interior with soldiers playing tric-trac around a table , c. 1655

Oil on Canvas

41.7 x 50 cm. (16.4 x 19.7 in.)

Private collection

Eeckhout matriculated early in the Gild of Amsterdam. As he grew older Eeckhout succeeded best in portraits, for example that of Isaac Commelin (See above), in the Städel collection in Frankfurt. Eeckhout occasionally varied his style. He followed Gerard ter Borch in Gambling Soldiers, at Stafford House, and a Soldiers' Merrymaking, in the collection of the marquess of Bute. Amongst the best of Eeckhout's works are Christ in the Temple (1662), at Munich, and the Haman and Mordecai of 1665, at Luton House.

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

Goodbye (Abraham Disowning Hagar), c. 1642

Oil on wood

64 x 50.5 cm.

Private collection

Estimated for Est: €25,000 EUR - €30,000 EUR in November 2017

Hagar is a biblical person in the Book of Genesis Chapter 16. She was an Egyptian handmaid of Sarah, who gave her to Abraham "to wife" to bear a child. The product of the union was Abraham's firstborn, Ishmael, the progenitor of the Ishmaelites.

After Sarah gave birth to Isaac, and the tension between the women returned. At a celebration after Isaac was weaned, Sarah found the teenage Ishmael mocking her son, and demanded that Abraham send Hagar and her son away. She declared that Ishmael would not share in Isaac's inheritance. Abraham was greatly distressed but God told Abraham to do as his wife commanded because God's promise would be carried out through both Isaac and Ishmael.

The name Hagar originates from the Book of Genesis, and is only alluded to in the Qur'an. She is considered Abraham's second wife in the Islamic faith and acknowledged in all Abrahamic faiths. In mainstream Christianity, she is considered a concubine to Abraham. More on Hagar

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout (Dutch, 1621 - 1674)

Hagar Weeping, c. early 1640s

Oil on canvas

76.2 × 68.6 cm (30 × 27 in.)

J. Paul Getty Museum

With her face bathed in soft light, the weeping Hagar turns away from the viewer and looks up sharply. At his wife Sarah's request, Abraham reluctantly cast out the Egyptian slave-maid Hagar and her son, Ishmael, who she had conceived with him. After running out of water in the Beersheba desert, Hagar left her dying son crying under a bush, then moved a short distance away to weep in anguish.

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout represented Hagar with her vision of the angel who told her that God had heard the boy's cries and promised "I will make a great nation of him." Looking up, Hagar saw a well nearby, and they were saved, and became the ancestors of the Arab peoples. Hagar and the angel's torso were cut from a larger painting some time before the Getty Museum received this painting. More on this painting

Circle Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

The Angel appearing to Hagar and Ishmael

Oil on canvas

131 x 110 cm

Private collection

Sold for EUR 7,500 in May 2016

Hagar and Ishmael wandered aimlessly until their water was completely consumed. In a moment of despair, she burst into tears. God heard her and her son crying and came to rescue them. The angel opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well of water. He also told Hagar that God would "make a great nation" of Ishmael. Hagar found her son a wife from Egypt and they settled in the Desert of Paran. More on the Angel appearing to Hagar and Ishmael

Gerbrand van den Eeckhout  (1621–1674)

Pharaoh returns his wife Sarah to Abraham (Gen. 12,18-20) , 1669

Oil on canvas

Height: 139cm Width: 174cm

Private collection

Abraham asks Sarah to say that she is his sister in Gen 12:13 because a sister travelling with her brother would be perceived as sexually available. There would be no reason for someone to kill Abraham to gain access to her. Because of this deception, Pharaoh takes Sarah into his palace as a wife, and he rewards the man he believes is her brother very generously with a substantial amount of property, including "sheep, oxen, asses, male and female slaves, she-asses, and camels." Pharaoh's generosity demonstrates that a beautiful sister could be quite valuable, just less lethal in some cases than a beautiful wife.

Yet Pharaoh realizes something is wrong when his entire household suffers plagues, and he figures out that he has unknowingly committed the sin of adultery. In all three cases, the patriarch is rebuked for his deception, which put not only the king but his entire household in danger of inadvertently incurring God's wrath. More on Abraham asks Sarah

Eeckhout, unmarried, was also appreciated as art connoisseur, and dealing with poets and scientists. At the end of his life he was living with his sister-in-law, a widow, on Herengracht, at a very prestigious part of the canal. He died in Amsterdam. More on Gerbrand van den Eeckhout

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