Allegory of the Four Elements
Object type | Painting |
Genre | Allegory |
Date | ca. 1615 |
Dimensions | 62 x 105 cm |
Support | Panel |
Medium | Oil |
Our attribution | Jan Brueghel the Elder |
Other authorities | Ertz 2008-10, #520 Ertz 1979, #300 |
Location | Madrid, Spain |
Collection | Museo del Prado |
Accession numbers | inv. #1399 |
Tags | Abundance, Senses, Birds, Fish, Ruins, Van Balen, Nude, Flowers, Fruit |
External resources | Museo del Prado |
This painting is a variant of Allegory of the Four Elements (Vienna) (See HDB; Ertz 2008-10, p 1084).
Diaz Padron dates this painting to the first decade of the seventeenth century.
A very good exact copy of this, also on panel and just slightly larger, was sold in Paris (Pal. Gall. 21.iii.77 #43); another copy, again on panel and of roughly the same size, was sold in London (Christie’s 10.xii.93 #10). Still another version accepted as autograph by Ertz is his 1979 #301. There are numerous weaker copies and variants as well, like one sold Christie's New York 4.vi.86 #112 and one sold London (Christie's 19.vi.87 #21).
A copy attributed to Jan Brueghel the Younger is also in the Prado.