Sea Harbor with Preaching of Christ (Munich)
Object type | Painting |
Genre | Religious |
Date | 1598 |
Dimensions | 78 x 119 cm |
Support | Panel |
Medium | Oil |
Signature | BRUEGHEL 1598 |
Our attribution | Jan Brueghel the Elder |
Other authorities | Ertz 2008-10, #263 Ertz 1979, #46 |
Location | Munich, Germany |
Collection | Alte Pinakothek |
Accession numbers | inv. #187 |
Tags | Preaching, House, Coast, Harbor, Mountain, Burghers, Fishermen, Christ, New Testament, Boat |
External resources | Alte Pinakothek |
A very early larger-scale work; indeed, exceptionally large for this period. The other religious histories from this time are at most about a quarter of this size and often much smaller. Only the classical battle scenes from these years are of such large scale.
Good copy in Stockholm, Nationalmuseum (panel, 82 x 121), signed and dated 1606.
According to Louisa Wood Ruby, "Jan used the motif of the Tomb of Scipio in numerous compositions, including two works in the exhibition, [this] wonderful painting in Munich dated 1598 and the drawing of a Harbor with a Fish Market in a private collection. In examining possible motivations for the frequency of the appearance of the Tomb of Scipio motif in Jan’s oeuvre, a recent analysis convincingly suggests that its inclusion was meant to appeal to Neo-Stoic patrons in both Rome and later Antwerp, who would have understood and appreciated its reference to the Neo-Stoic ideal."