Frans Franken III (Antwerp, 1607-1667) and assistants, Adoration of the Magi oil on panel, h cm 73.5 x 91 (with frame), h cm 53 x 70 (panel without frame) Good condition Private negotiation item accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and expertise (attached to the link below) The oil painting on panel, with a gold background, depicts an Adoration of the Magi. The Magi are dressed in sumptuous silk and brocade garments; they wear precious headdresses and jewelry. The richness of their clothes is contrasted with the humility of the Holy Family and other figures who curiously observe the scene around them. The hut is simple, made of wood and straw: above it shines the comet, symbol of the divine event. In the distance, a group of travelers walk a path that disappears into the horizon, blending into the gold of the background. The depiction proposes a traditional iconography, in which the painter inserts some details that lend themselves to symbolic interpretations. Among these is the appearance of the Magi, which since the 14th century has differed iconographically: the wise astronomers represent the homage to Jesus from the parts of the world then known, namely Africa, Asia and Europe. To the right of the Magi, in the foreground, sits a monkey, considered a demonic creature and a symbol of falsehood and sin. It is depicted apart, as defeated, next to a fragment of a classical column: the ruin alludes to the end of paganism, the old world that collapses at the advent of the new one, marked by the birth of Christ and liberation from Original Sin. Ivy climbs on the ruins, a symbol of the immortality of the soul. The work is attributable to the workshop of the Flemish painter Frans Francken III, belonging to a prolific family of Antwerp painters who played a prominent role in local art for four generations. Probating is the comparison with a painting by Frans Francken III, kept at the Museum of Fine Arts in Tournai, Belgium. In this work, the same composition is represented, with some chromatic variations and in which the artist describes, in the background, a glimpse of a Flemish city with houses, a bridge under which a river flows and some inhabitants. The blue sky is marked by some clouds and some bare trees suggest the winter season. Frans Francken III (Antwerp, 1607-1667) belongs to the Francken dynasty of painters. Son of Frans Francken II and Elisabeth Placquet, he trained in his father's workshop. In 1639-'40 he joined the Guild of Saint Luke and in 1656, in recognition of the fortune that his works received, he became its dean. His ability to paint small figures means that he is often asked by other artists to animate compositions of landscapes or interiors with staffage figures. Frans Francken III specializes in small pictures, painting both sacred and profane subjects. His works, characterized by the vivacity of colors, vary in narrative richness according to the request and taste of the clients and their economic possibilities. Often overworked, he makes use of the help of workshop collaborators who skillfully imitate his style. He has several students, including Carstian Luyckx and Jan Baptist Segaert. Carlotta Venegoni

Period: 16th century

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