Gerard Rijsbrack
Gerard Rijsbrack | |
---|---|
Born | 1696 |
Died | 1773 (aged 76–77) |
Parent | Pieter Rijsbraeck |
Gerard Rijsbrack or Gerard Rysbrack[1] (1696 – 1773) was a Flemish painter of still lifes, game pieces, hunting scenes and mythological scenes. He first worked in England and later in Paris where he received royal commissions.[2] He was the younger brother of the sculptor John Rysbrack, one of the leading sculptors in England around the mid-18th century.[3]
Life
Gerard Rijsbrack was born in
Gerard’s siblings included a number of artists. His older brother Pieter Andreas was a still life and landscape painter while another older brother was the sculptor John Michael Rysbrack. Pieter Andreas and John Michael moved to London around 1620 where they built successful careers. Gerard joined his two brothers in England.[3] John Michael Rysbrack became one of the leading sculptors in England and was particularly known for his portraits. As a sculptor to the elite, he was able to build a network of relationships with influential people in England.[5] This network may have helped his brothers in gaining commissions from prominent patrons. The absence of signed and dated work by Gerard from his English period may indicate that he worked in the successful workshop of his brother Pieter Andreas.
Gerard left England for Paris where he is known to have been active from around 1747, although he may have moved there before this time. His move to Paris may be related to the fact that his brother Pieter Andreas Rijsbrack was no longer able to work as he was suffering from consumption from which he died in London in October 1748.[3]
Gerard Rijsbrack was successful in France where he enjoyed royal patronage. Like his compatriot
He is said to have died blind and impoverished in Antwerp to where he had returned at the end of his life.[7]
Work
He is known mainly for his still lifes, game pieces and hunting scenes. He is also reported to have painted mythological subjects.[2]
In his compositions of hunting scenes for Mme Pompadour representing respectively a wolf hunt and a deer hunt, he stayed close to compositions by French painters
In two paintings of dead game he made for the menagerie at the Palace of Versailles in 1751 (
References
- ^ Other name variations: 'Rysbrack', 'Rijsbraek' and 'Rysbraek' and first name variations: 'Geerard' and 'Gérard'
- ^ a b c Gerard Rijsbrack at the Netherlands Institute for Art History (in Dutch)
- ^ a b c Robert Williams and Katharine Eustace. "Pieter Andreas Rysbrack." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 22 November 2014
- ^ Pieter Andreas Rijsbrack at the Netherlands Institute for Art History (in Dutch)
- ^ Robert Williams and Katharine Eustace. "Michael Rysbrack." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 22 Nov. 2014
- ^ a b Claudia Salvi, Le grand livre des animaux de Buffon, Renaissance Du Livre, 2002 In Paris, p. 174-175 (in French)
- ^ a b c Geerard Rysbrack, peintre de Louis XV et de Mme de Pompadour at Connaissances de Versailles (in French)
- ^ Bénédicte Ottinger, L'art et la chasse: histoire culturelle et artistique de la chasse, Renaissance Du Livre, 2002, p. 93 (in French)
External links
- Media related to Gerard Rijsbrack at Wikimedia Commons