Theodorus Jambers

THEODORUS JAMBERS (Brussels, 1810- Ixelles, 1891).
"Interior with figures", 1859.
Oil on panel.
Signed and dated in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 56 x 48 cm.

This interior with figures follows closely in the wake of the great painters of the Dutch Golden Age. Artists like Johannes Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch or Samuel van Hoogstraten specialized in interior scenes with checkered floors. These artists, like their follower Theodorus Jambers, did not use this device as a mere decorative whim, but as an advanced technical and symbolic tool, as the tiles converged towards a single vanishing point. The scene in bidding shows us the kitchen of a prosperous Dutch family. Three women, two of them in white coifs, are preparing to cook a fowl. The vegetables in the foreground, which have fallen from a basket leaning against the wall, add a fully narrative character, as do the pots and pans ultimately.

Théodore Jambers, an outstanding painter of genre scenes such as the one presented here, consolidated his training at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels under the tutelage of Henri de Coene. Between 1833 and 1872, Jambers was a recurring exhibitor at the prestigious Salons des Beaux-Arts, where he consolidated his reputation. Although he specialized in the painting of customs, his versatility led him to tackle history painting - his most famous work being The Flight of Henrietta Marie of France in 1644 - and religious art, with compositions of biblical significance such as The Order, inspired by the Gospel of St. Matthew.