Artwork
Bepackter Schimmel
Bepackter Schimmel is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Pieter van Bloemen. It dates from 1694 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1694, *Bepackter Schimmel* is an oil painting by the Flemish artist Pieter van Bloemen. The work presents a quiet rural tableau in which a loaded horse stands before a modest building, surrounded by a small flock of sheep. The composition balances figures and architecture within a landscape that reflects van Bloemen’s characteristic blend of genre and pastoral elements.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a horse burdened with goods, a common motif symbolizing labor and transport in agrarian societies. The accompanying sheep reinforce the pastoral setting, while the modest structure in the distance suggests a stable or farmhouse, grounding the scene in everyday life rather than mythic narrative.
Technique & Style
Van Bloemen employs a restrained chiaroscuro, using soft transitions between light and shadow to give the horse and animals a warm, three‑dimensional presence.
Van Bloemen employs a restrained chiaroscuro, using soft transitions between light and shadow to give the horse and animals a warm, three‑dimensional presence. The palette is muted, with earthy tones that enhance the tranquil atmosphere. The brushwork remains detailed in the animal anatomy yet looser in the background, reflecting the artist’s Italianate influences within a Flemish Baroque framework.
History & Provenance
The painting belongs to the late‑Baroque period in Flanders, a time when van Bloemen was known for his lively depictions of animals and market scenes. *Bepackter Schimmel* entered the collection of Munich’s Alte Pinakothek, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of 17th‑century Flemish art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter van Bloemen, also known as Standaart (bapt. 17 January 1657 – 6 March 1720), first name also spelled Peter or Peeter, was a Flemish painter, draughtsman and printmaker. He was a gifted landscape and animal artist…
