Guilliam Forchondt I

Attributed to GUILLAM FORCHONDT "THE OLD" (Antwerp, 1608-1678)
"The foundation of the Third Order of St. Francis".
Oil on oak panel.
Measurements: 58 x 38 cm.

This painting is a vibrant representation of a significant moment in Franciscan history, executed in the opulent Flemish Baroque style. The work captures the scene in which St. Francis of Assisi gives the habit to the first lay members of what would become known as the Venerable Third Order.

The composition is dynamic and organized around the central figure of St. Francis, situated at the top of a flight of stairs, giving him a position of spiritual eminence and authority. With a solemn gesture, he hands the Franciscan cord to a man kneeling before him, who represents all the seculars who wish to follow a pious life without withdrawing from the world. At his side, St. Clare of Assisi (or an allegorical figure of faith) holds the papal bull authorizing the order, while observing the scene with devotion.

Above them, on the heavenly plane, the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus presides over the scene surrounded by angels and cherubs, bestowing a divine blessing on the earthly act. This division between the heavenly and earthly planes is a typical characteristic of baroque religious art.

At the foot of the stairs a diverse crowd gathers, reflecting the universality of the call of the order. Characters of different social classes and states of life can be distinguished: richly attired men and women, with velvet, silk and lace costumes, who kneel to receive the habit. The figure of a noblewoman in the foreground on the right stands out. More humbly dressed people, including mothers with their children, also approach with devotion. Several Franciscan friars assist St. Francis, helping in the distribution of habits and cords.

The work is a clear example of Antwerp Baroque, strongly influenced by the school of Peter Paul Rubens. The composition is full of life, with figures in multiple poses and expressive gestures that guide the viewer's gaze across the canvas. The light seems to emanate from the celestial plane, selectively illuminating the main figures and creating a strong chiaroscuro contrast that models the forms and adds drama to the scene.

Attributed to Guilliam Forchondt I, this painting exalts the values of the Counter-Reformation, promoting secular piety and the role of religious orders in society.

Guillam Forchondt the Elder was a Flemish painter and art dealer. He captained a successful painting workshop that spread throughout Europe through his sons' offices in Vienna, Lisbon and Seville. Through the port of Cadiz, works were shipped to Mexico and sold to local convents. He played a very important role in the diffusion of Flemish Baroque art in Europe and South America, even changing the dealer-artist relationship by involving himself in the organization of the artistic production process. His lucrative business was continued by his son, Guillam Forchondt the Younger (1645-after 1677), who turned it into an international art and luxury goods enterprise. Among the numerous clients were prominent personalities of the time, such as the Emperor of Austria or the Princes of Liechtenstein. As a painter, Forchondt worked in the Flemish Baroque style of Rubens, Jan Brueghel the Younger, Joos de Momper and David Teniers the Younger, clearly adapting his production to market demand. Many of his works can be considered pastiches or reduced copies of works by Rubens. At that time there was a great demand abroad, and particularly in Spain, for paintings in the style of the great Flemish masters, such as Rubens and Anthony van Dyck. Art dealers, such as the Forchondts, who had local representation in several foreign countries, facilitated the trade in these paintings.