Artwork
Rest of a band of robbers
Rest of a band of robbers is an unspecified painting by Johann Liss. It dates from 1623 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1623 by Johann Liss, a German painter who spent much of his career in Venice, this oil painting portrays a group of figures taking a pause amid a rugged landscape. The work is held in the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, and exemplifies the early‑17th‑century Baroque fascination with narrative tension and fleeting moments of respite.
Subject & Meaning
The composition gathers several individuals in period dress around a low table laden with food and drink. Some sit, others lean against craggy rocks, while a few stand in animated conversation. The relaxed posture contrasts with the implied danger of a band of robbers, suggesting a brief intermission in an otherwise hostile episode.
Technique & Style
Liss employs the chiaroscuro typical of Baroque art, using stark light to illuminate faces and objects against a darker, cloud‑filled sky and shadowed hills. The brushwork conveys texture in clothing and stone, while the dynamic arrangement of bodies creates a sense of movement and immediacy within the still scene.
History & Provenance
After its execution in Venice, the painting entered various private collections before being acquired by the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, where it remains on display. Its attribution to Liss has been consistently affirmed by stylistic analysis linking it to his other Venetian works of the early 1620s.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Johann Liss or Jan Lys (c. 1590 or 1597 – 1629 or 1630) was a leading German Baroque painter of the 17th century, active mainly in Venice.
