Abraham VAN CUYLENBORCH (1620-1658) - Lot 43

Abraham VAN CUYLENBORCH (1620-1658) Riders and dogs resting in a grotto Oil on parquet panel H_47.5 cm L_70 cm Crack in panel Signed and dated "ACuylenborch 1644" lower right Born in Utrecht in 1620, Abraham van Cuylenborch followed in the footsteps of Cornelis van Poelenburgh. He specialized in landscape painting and representations of caves, often inhabited by travelers or mythological figures, and antique sculptures. Master of the Saint Luc gilde from 1639, his paintings are characterized by a bright, diffused light illuminating dark, rocky interiors. Our painting, offered for the first time at auction, depicts two horsemen in contemporary dress facing a seated figure. These figures serve to emphasize the monumental character of the site. The sculptures, on the other hand, evoke an ancient and grandiose past. On the right, the reclining statue on a sarcophagus appears to represent a river god, a motif popular since the Renaissance. This scene evokes nostalgia for Italy and a taste for the picturesque. Expert: Cabinet Artéon