Rare Antique Oil On Canvas Painting Of Spanish Female Musician By Sought After Artist Franz Meerts 1883 - 1896 Commissioned By The Belgian Government Circa 1885
A beautiful large oil on canvas of a Spanish female musician by the sought after and famous Belgian painter Franz Meerts 1836 -1896. This rare painting/subject was painted when Meerts travelled to Spain and Italy when he was commissioned by the Belgian Government to study the great masters. Meerts took inspiration from the great masters which is clear to see in this well executed and atmospheric oil of a Spanish female musician holding tambourine in traditional clothing. Painted in 1889.
This portrait is beautiful and well executed with gallery labels to verso and indecipherable historic writing to rear of frame. Beautiful ebonised mahogany frame with gilt surround highlighting/framing this fabulous piece of collectable art. Collectors of the great masters and Meerts, will appreciate this rare subject and also period when painted as it was towards the end of Meets short life. The perfect decorators piece to inject style and a talking point to any room.
For more than twenty years, Meerts was the director of the Art Academy of Soignies. He was a co-author of "La Belgique illustrée", an illustrated history and overview of Belgium. Joseph Middeleer was his pupil.
Meerts was the co-founder of two artist associations in Brussels. The first one was L'Union des Arts that existed from 1876 to 1885 and organised group exhibitions of works of visual artists. Three of such exhibitions were held, all in the personal studio of Meerts.
Franz Meerts subsequently co-founded a new association for young artists, which was given the Dutch name Voorwaarts ('Forward') in 1885. Co-founder was Louis Baretta. Its motto was: Hooger is ons doel ('Higher is our goal'). What is remarkable is both the Dutch-language name of the association and the Dutch-language motto. Its members included Ernest Hoerickx, Léon Massaux, Emile Rimbout, Jan Stobbaerts, Pieter Stobbaerts, Eugène Surinx, Flori van Acker and Camille Wauters. Later others joined including Theodoor Verstraete, Emile Claus, Adrien-Joseph Heymans, Gustave Vanaise, Alfred Verhaeren, Victor Gilsoul, Eugène Laermans, August De Bats, Henri Ottevaere and Emile Van Doren. The first salon of Voorwaarts was held in 1885 in the IJzerenkruistraat in the bustling heart of Brussels. In 1888, Voorwaarts exhibited in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels. The association ceased to exist in 1893.
84cm Height cm x 67cm Width Full frame size.
Inner canvas height 68cm x 50cm
As a genuine antique/vintage item there is wear and use commensurate with age. Some wooden products may have signs of historic woodworm. As a precaution we apply a clear triple action woodworm treatment that also kills wet rot, dry rot and woodworm. Please look at all the images carefully and ask any questions pre purchase as we do not unfortunately offer refunds due to the size and shipping costs of our antiques/items. All our items are available on line at Search & Rescued and other online stores.