Lucas van Valckenborch
Lucas van Valckenborch (also Valckenborch, Valkenborgh; c. 1535 – 2 February 1597) was a Flemish painter of mainly landscapes, portraits and allegorical scenes.
Biography
Van Valckenborch was born in Leuven. The 17th-century biographer Karel van Mander stated that Lucas van Valckenborch learned to paint landscapes in Mechelen, which was known as a center for oil and water-colours and especially landscape painting.[1] At the time of the Beeldenstorm in 1566 he left Antwerp with his brother (or nephew) Marten van Valckenborch and they made a trip from Luik to Aachen along the Meuse (river), painting river valley views.[1] When William the Silent revolted against Spanish rule, they returned to the Southern Netherlands. They were able to create works that sold well.[1] Van Mander wrote that Lucasbecame patronized by Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor because of his skill as a portrait painter and travelled with him down the Danube as far as Linz.[1]
He was the cousin of the painters Frederik and Gillis van Valckenborch, and the nephew or brother of the painter Marten van Valckenborch.[2][3]
He became the teacher of Georg Flegel. He died in Frankfurt am Main.[2]
Work
He is known for landscapes, portraits and allegorical paintings. His style was close to Pieter Brueghel the Elder, but he modified this influence in a personal manner and was not a slavish copyist. His work was rooted in the same Flemish tradition, without following the newer Mannerist movement.
His landscapes generally followed the conventions of composition, with panoramic scenes from a high viewpoint. He relied, however, more on first-hand observation of nature and he made paintings of actual places, rather than the fantastic landscapes of other Flemish landscape painters. He also created some close-up representations of forest landscapes. He also painted some a series of large pictures depicting the labours of the months in the mid-1580s.
He also painted portraits for his patron Emperor Matthias. He was further a figure painter as is shown in a series of nine allegories of the seasons painted in Frankfurt from 1592.[3]
Works
- Landscape in Spring
- Landscape in Summer
- Landscape with a Rural Festival
- The Massacre of the Innocents
- Mountainous Landscape
- Rocky Landscape
- The Tower of Babel
- View of Antwerp with the Frozen Scheldt
- View of Huy from Ahin
Cultural reference
Lucas van Valkenborch is mentioned by the German writer W. G. Sebald in his book Austerlitz describing the painting View of Antwerp with the Frozen Scheldt (1590).
Gallery
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View of Antwerp with the frozen Scheldt (1590) in the Städel Museum
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Imperial walk in the woods at Neugebäude Palace
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Tower of Babel
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Portrait of Matthias of Austria
References
- 1 2 3 4 Lucas van Valckenborch in Karel van Mander's Schilder-boeck, 1604 (Dutch)
- 1 2 Lucas van Valckenborch at the Netherlands Institute for Art History (Dutch)
- 1 2 Alexander Wied and Hans Devisscher. "Valckenborch, van." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 14 Jul. 2014
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lucas van Valckenborch. |
- Lucas van Valckenborch from Artcyclopedia.
- Lucas van Valckenborch paintings from Web Gallery of Art.
- Lucas van Valckenborch on Artnet
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