Circle of Frans Snyders (Antwerp, Belgium, 1579 - 1657).

Circle of FRANS SNYDERS (Antwerp, Belgium, 1579 - 1657).
"The wolf hunt".
Oil on canvas.
Measurements: 113 x 167 cm; 136 x 192 cm (frame).
Formally, this work is framed within the current of the Flemish dynamic still life, since, although no action is represented, the composition is moving, marked by the diagonal lines that are, in addition, reinforced by the light effects, by bright points of light that create a zigzagging rhythm that guides our gaze from the foreground to the background. The Flemish dynamic still life is characterized by following the rubenian baroque, in a clearly dynamic sense. Dynamic still lifes show compositions plagued by sharp diagonals, as we see here, and by the frequent presence of live animals interacting with the objects in the still life. As we see here, the compositions form zigzags that provide movement, while the objects accumulate reflecting opulence, without the clarity of the previous still life. In short, these are still lifes of great decorative sense and richness, distinctly baroque characteristics, which use the naturalism of the capture of the qualities of animals and objects and the dynamism of the compositions to catch the viewer's eye. At the same time, these painters have basic characteristics in the Flemish school of the genre, such as the careful capturing of the different qualities, illusionism or the effective illumination. The opulent accumulation of objects, among which some stand out for their richness, is another basic characteristic of the Flemish still life. However, since it is already a fully baroque work, far from the first experiences of the new language, the composition opens up, the scenographic sense is reinforced and we see a beautiful and meticulously worked landscape, open on the right side to a coastal background worked in cold tones, on which the ruins of an old building stand out. In the foreground, however, warm tones predominate, dotted with touches of blues and whites that break the monotony and reinforce the effect of the light, directed and controlled.
During the 17th century, in Flanders there was a growing demand for paintings to decorate the houses of the bourgeoisie. Apart from portraits and large canvases with religious, historical or mythological themes, artists specialized, painting medium-sized works that gradually increased in format, with still lifes, animals, landscapes and genre scenes. In this case the work is largely reminiscent of the pictorial production of the artist Frans Snyders, a Flemish painter and draughtsman who quickly reached the rank of master and specialized in painting hunting themes. In his works the drama and tension are very important, as it is common for him to represent hunting scenes with great violence and ferocity. However, the anatomical representation of the animals in the present painting is not very accomplished (while in Snyders' work it is quite meticulous), which is especially evident in the less confident brushwork. This characteristic makes us link him to a possible student of the work of his disciple Paul de Vos, an animalist painter who offered crude scenes with more rapid than detailed brushstrokes.