Artwork
Altarpiece of the Guild of the Smiths
Altarpiece of the Guild of the Smiths is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Ambrosius Francken I. It dates from 1594 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
About this work
Overview
The Altarpiece of the Guild of the Smiths is a triptych oil painting created by Ambrosius Francken I in 1594. It is a representative work of the Flemish Baroque movement, characteristic of Francken's late Mannerist style.
Subject & Meaning
The triptych depicts a religious scene across its three panels. The central panel shows a figure in a red robe addressing a crowd, while the side panels feature a figure in a yellow robe in different settings, possibly representing a narrative or symbolic theme related to the Guild of the Smiths.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil paint, the altarpiece showcases Francken's use of a range of colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green. The work is characteristic of the late Mannerist style, with its complex composition and detailed figures.
History & Provenance
Commissioned for the Guild of the Smiths, the altarpiece is now held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp. Francken, a Flemish painter and possibly an art dealer, was active in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ambrosius Francken I (1544/45–October 1618) was a Flemish painter known for his religious works and historical allegories painted in a late Mannerist style.
Triptych with the Lamentation of Christ (centre panel), the donor with St Benedict (inner left wing) and the donatrix with St Elizabeth of Thuringia (inner right wing)
Triptych with the adoration of the Magi (centre panel and inner wings), St Antony Abbot (outer left wing) and St Adrian (outer right wing)
The Adoration of the Lamb
The Last Supper
Triptych of the Adoration of the Magi
Triptych with Adoration of the Magi (center and inner wings), Saint Antony Abbot (left, outer wing) and Saint Adrian (right, outer wing)
Triptych with the Epiphany
The Adoration of the Magi
Flügelaltar; Mittelbild: Anbetung der Könige; linker Flügel: Anbetung der Hirten; rechter Flügel: Ruhe auf der Flucht nach Ägypten