(Antwerp 1601–1678) The Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus in a floral cartouche, oil on panel, 74 x 53 cm, framed,

Certificate: Dr. Klaus Ertz, January 2010.

With the technical perfection he was praised for, Brueghel surrounded the elaborate stone niche enclosing the enthroned Virgin and Child with splendid floral decoration executed in delicate glazes. In his certificate, Dr. Ertz points out that the large and seemingly tangible blossoms are typical of the artist‘s works from the 1640s, when he came closest to comparable compositions by Daniel Seghers, although Brueghel‘s art remained distinguishable from that of his contemporary at all times. On the whole, Brueghel‘s compositions from those years make a more organized and tranquil impression and strain less after effect. For example, Brueghel left the spaces between his bouquets of flowers empty, whereas Segher always filled them with thistles and branches of roses in a ‚horror-vacui‘ manner. The figure of the Madonna is likewise finished in great detail, and individual elements of the composition are striking because of their illusion of depth. In its jewel-like colourfulness, the exuberant and diversified floral decoration stands out against the black backdrop and is juxtaposed with a scene by a not-yet identified member of Rubens‘s workshop that already anticipates the High Baroque in Antwerp. Thus the present painting is an important document of Brueghel‘s working together with his Antwerp colleagues. Since the existing sources allow few conclusions as to the intensity of Brueghel‘s collaboration with Rubens‘s circle, the present work constitutes an important proof of the teamwork among Flemish masters.

Certificate: Dr. Klaus Ertz, January 2010. With the technical perfection he was praised for, Brueghel surrounded the elaborate stone niche enclosing the enthroned Virgin and Child with splendid floral decoration executed in delicate glazes. In his certifi