Village during winter - Frans de Momper & Workshop of Jan Brueghel II

FRANS DE MOMPER & WORKSHOP JAN BRUEGHEL II
1603 – 1660 /1661 & 1601 – 1678
“A village during winter”
Oil on panel
We’d like to thank dr. Jan de Maere for his expertise.

Dimensions: 43 x 61 cm, 55 x 72 cm (framed)

THE ARTIST
Frans de Momper, a nephew of the celebrated landscape painter Joos de Momper, was a Flemish artist known for his winter scenes, river views, and imaginary landscapes. Trained in Antwerp, he later worked in the Dutch Republic, where he absorbed the tonal subtleties of Jan van Goyen and other Dutch masters. His style evolved from the panoramic, elevated viewpoints of his uncle to a more intimate, painterly approach, distinguished by a lower perspective and an even, textural brushwork that unifies all elements—architecture, figures, and nature—into a harmonious whole.
De Momper’s winter landscapes, in particular, became his signature. Building on the legacy of Paul Bril and Jan Brueghel the Elder, he captured the quiet poetry of snow-covered villages, the movement of skaters and sleds, and the subtle transitions of light across a frozen world. His atmospheric sensitivity and balanced compositions earned him recognition as one of the key interpreters of the Flemish winter landscape in the early seventeenth century.
Jan Brueghel II, son of Jan Brueghel the Elder and grandson of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, inherited both the workshop and artistic vision of his father. Continuing the Brueghel tradition, he painted landscapes, allegories, and religious scenes characterized by precision, vivid color, and a lively depiction of human activity. In his mature works, Jan the Younger adopted a broader and more painterly manner, collaborating frequently with other leading Antwerp masters such as Peter Paul Rubens.

THE ARTWORK
This enchanting winter village scene captures the essence of Flemish life during the seventeenth century. Under a pale winter sky, villagers go about their daily activities—feeding livestock, chatting in groups, and skating on the frozen river that leads the viewer’s eye toward a distant bridge and horizon.
Executed with the refined delicacy typical of the Brueghel workshop, the painting balances lively human activity with architectural rhythm and natural harmony. The warm touches of red and ochre clothing stand in contrast to the cool silvers and greys of the snow-covered landscape, demonstrating a keen sensitivity to both color balance and atmosphere.
The composition exemplifies the collaboration between Frans de Momper’s soft, unifying treatment of landscape and the precise, miniature-like figures typical of Jan Brueghel II’s workshop. Together, they create a work that reflects not only the technical mastery of Antwerp’s Golden Age but also the enduring appeal of the Flemish winter genre—a world of conviviality, craftsmanship, and quiet beauty.