ADRIAEN DE GRYEF

(1657 / 1715)

ADRIAEN DE GRYEF Leiden, Netherlands (1657) / Brussels, Belgium (1715) "Allegory of divine creation. The earthly Paradise"

Oil on canvas. Signed lower right. Provenance: - Christie's, London, auction of November 26, 1965; - Samuel “Saam” Nijstad Collection (since 1966); - Christie's, London, auction of June 27, 1975; Madrid, Galeria Gonzalo Zazo (since 1975); Private collection. Bibliography: - Benezit, E., Dictionaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs, 1911-1923, VI, pp. 505-506. Adriaen de Gryef was an art dealer in Ghent, where he was registered with the Guild of San Luke from 1687. In Antwerp, he married a daughter of Jan van Goyen and was registered with the painters' guild in 1700. His great specialty was still life and hunting scenes, in which the influence of masters of this genre, such as Jan Fyt and Frans Snyders, is evident. In all of these works, the painter displays his mastery in the representation of animals, often showing them restless or in a fighting stance, alongside a great variety of fruits that stand out for their meticulous detail, amidst beautiful landscapes bathed in twilight. The painting shown here exhibits all the typical characteristics of his works, but it stands out within his oeuvre for its large format and bold composition, as does its companion piece (lot 606). If the theme of the previous canvas was the Allegory of Human Creation, this canvas represents what can be considered an allegory of divine creation, embodied in the Garden of Eden. Birds and animals of different species and from various parts of the world are the protagonists of this work, in which Adam and Eve, the first man and woman created by God, can be seen in the background. They are situated on the banks of the river that flowed through the Garden of Eden, in the company of some wild animals, but living together in harmony. This idea of ​​peace contrasts with the agitation of the previous canvas (lot 606), in which the cockfight alluded to the struggles and conflicts of humankind. Measurements: 270 x 198 cm.