Offered by Romano Ischia
"The Marriage of David and Abigail"
Pauwels Casteels (Antwerp, c. 1625 – Antwerp, after 1677)
Oil on copper
Measurements 88 x 70 cm, frame 104 x 86 cm
The work is monogrammed P.C. at the bottom center.
This large copperplate painting, executed with extraordinary finesse in its rendering of detail, depicts the marriage of David to Abigail, his beautiful and equally wise second wife. The scene is filled with a wide variety of characters, with a great display of clothing and an exceptional array of male and female ornaments. In addition to the two spouses with the High Priest, the stern and displeased figure of King Saul, seated on the throne, stands out, envisioning the young David as the future King of the Hebrews.
The work, which embodies the best characteristics of 17th-century Flemish art, can be attributed with certainty to the renowned Antwerp master Pauwels Casteels, who placed his initials on the floor at the bottom center of the painting (a practice found in other works by the master).
The artist, following his typical stylistic canons, creates a sumptuous festive scene, where the elegance of the figures is displayed in every detail, with the skill that distinguishes his work. The exceptional size of the copper, found several times in his oeuvre, allows him to give the composition a striking sense of space and three-dimensionality.
The painting is in excellent condition across its entire surface. The copper plate has some undulations and some defects along the edges.
Pauwels Casteels was a Flemish painter and draughtsman.
He was born in Antwerp around 1625. As the son of a master, he was admitted to the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1649-1650.
Casteels was a versatile painter who painted battles, mythological, historical, and biblical scenes.
Casteels's works were distributed by the Antwerp art dealers Forchondt, who traded throughout Europe.
His paintings have sometimes been attributed to other Flemish painters, such as Jan Cossiers, Simon de Vos, and Cornelis de Vos.
The compositions are always crowded with numerous figures, all highly individualized and painted with excellent detail, thus drawing the viewer into the countless details of the scene.
It is not known exactly when he died, but it was certainly after 1677, the year in which he dated one of his works.
Delevery information :
Delivery by selected professional carrier.
Each artwork is packaged meticulously with packaging in a custom-built wooden crate, and always insured.
The shipment is tracked (DHL TRACKING) and delivery is expected within 3 days of receipt of the bank transfer (DHL EXPRESS).
We only ship our works to MEC countries.
All published works are exhibited in our large showroom in Riva del Garda, Viale Giovanni Prati 39.
