Abraham Brueghel (Antwerp 1631 – Naples 1690) workshop of
Young Woman with Flowers and Fruit
(as Allegory of Summer)
Oil on canvas (80 x 60 cm. - Framed 105 x 85 cm.)
Expertise: Prof. Alberto Cottino
Bibliography: Alberto Cottino, Abraham Brueghel 1631-1697. A still life master between Antwerp, Rome and Naples, Etgraphiae, Rome 2022.
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The painting in question, of considerable qualitative and artistic value, depicts a comely young woman, portrayed in a graceful pose, dressed in an elegantly draped gown with a deep neckline, her hair adorned with a string of pearls, emphasizing her attractiveness. With one hand she is holding a branch of flowers, while with the other she seems to invite the viewer to admire the opulence of the composition of flowers and fruit she holds nearby.
From the mid-17th century onwards, the fashion for these decorative depictions of mythological maidens in settings adorned with flowers or fruits quickly spread throughout Italy, especially in Rome. Apart from their decorative character, this type of painting presumably also had a symbolic meaning, for example, in its connection with flowers and fruit, as a metaphor for female beauty and youth.
Another possible meaning of the painting under consideration, given the woman's attractiveness and pose, would be an erotic allusion, not unusual even in a culture dominated by the restrictions of the Counter-Reformation.
It is a painting of immediate beauty, capable of combining remarkable pictorial finesse with a scenic construction that satisfies even the most demanding gaze.
The style of the work, with its soft, material application and brilliant coloring, can be attributed to the Roman environment of the second half of the 17th century: as indicated by Prof. Alberto Cottino in his study dedicated to the work, the paternity should be sought in a skilled painter who emerged from the workshop of the great Flemish still life artist Abraham Brueghel (Antwerp 1631–1690 Naples), probably under his direct supervision.
The analysis of the stylistic and figurative characteristics, particularly the refined style, well-calibrated to Baroque exuberance, as well as the setting with elements of classicist ancestry, are typical characteristics of Brueghel's creations.
In our case, as indicated by Cottino, the work would be a version (with minor variations) of the well-known canvas with 'Young Woman with Flowers and Fruit', executed by Brueghel in collaboration with the Pistoiese painter Luigi Garzi, published in the monograph on Brueghel by the same scholar (Alberto Cottino, Abraham Brueghel 1631-1697. A still life master between Antwerp, Rome and Naples, Etgraphiae Rome 2022, p. 100, no. 46).
The main differences between the two paintings are found in the slight reduction in the dimensions of the painting studied here (the published painting measures 98 x 75 cm.) and in a slight discrepancy in the young woman's features, which here present a slightly more elongated profile.
It was indeed a custom in 17th-century painters' workshops to repeat the subjects of the most successful paintings multiple times, and Brueghel is no exception. Our example reprises Brueghel's painting, maintaining its elegance and freshness, as well as its fluid execution, so much so that Cottino has suggested a possible attribution to his brother, and trusted collaborator, Jan Baptist Brueghel (Antwerp 1647 – Rome 1719), who assisted him in the numerous commissions that a successful workshop had to complete.
Among the works we can mention, for comparison, see: in collaboration between Guglielmo Cortese and Abraham Brueghel the 'Young Woman with a Putto in a Garden with Fruit and Vegetables' (Private Collection, Modena) (1), or the collaboration between Abraham Brueghel and Luigi Garzi, the 'Allegory of Summer, Ceres with a still life of peaches, figs, pomegranates and squash' (2). And again, attributable to Abraham Brueghel alone, we can mention the 'Bouquet of Flowers Held by a Vestal' (3).
Source: Zeri Foundation
(1) https://catalogo.fondazionezeri.unibo.it/entry/work/87097/
(2) https://www.dorotheum.com/it/l/4218623/
(3) https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/old-master-and-19th-century-paintings-day-auction-l2503...
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The painting is sold complete with a pleasant frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.
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