Cornelis de Vos
Encyclopedia
Cornelis de Vos was a Flemish Baroque painter best known for his portrait
ure.
He was born in Hulst
near Antwerp, now in the Dutch province of Zeeland
. Little is known of his childhood; however, Cornelis and his younger brothers Paul
and Jan studied under the little-known painter David Remeeus (1559–1626). His sister Margaretha married Frans Snyders, while Cornelis himself was married to Jan Wildens
's half-sister Susanna Cock. Although both Paul de Vos and Snyders were animalier
s, or painters of animals, and Wildens was known for his landscape
s, Cornelis did not share either of these specializations. Instead, he painted mythological, biblical and history scenes, still life
s and, in the late 1620s, some monumental genre painting
s. However, De Vos was probably most successful as a painter of individual and group portraits. Additionally, when he became a citizen of Antwerp in 1616 he listed his occupation as an art dealer. De Vos joined the guild of Saint Luke
in 1608 at the age of twenty-four, later serving as its dean in 1628.
His style closely follows that of Anthony van Dyck
and, to a lesser extent, Peter Paul Rubens. However, De Vos worked frequently as a collaborator with Rubens. Around 1617 he painted two panels, the Nativity and the Presentation in the Temple, to join thirteen others by local painters, including Rubens—who oversaw the project—Van Dyck, and Jacob Jordaens
, in the "Mystery of the Rosary Cycle" for Antwerp's church of St. Paul (the series culminated in Caravaggio
's Madonna of the Rosary
, which was placed in the church in 1620). In 1635, De Vos assisted Rubens on the joyous entry
of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand
, a project for which he painted twelve royal portraits to Rubens's designs. Between 1636 and 1638 worked again for Rubens, along with his brother Paul in decorating the Torre de la Parada
, a hunting lodge of Philip IV of Spain
near Madrid
. His work is recognizable by intense color and powerful facial expressions. De Vos died in Antwerp, where he was buried in the cathedral.
His students include Simon de Vos
(1603-76), to whom he is not related.
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
ure.
He was born in Hulst
Hulst
Hulst is a municipality and a city in southwestern Netherlands in the east of Zeelandic Flanders.- History :Hulst received city rights in the 12th century....
near Antwerp, now in the Dutch province of Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
. Little is known of his childhood; however, Cornelis and his younger brothers Paul
Paul de Vos
Paul de Vos was a Flemish Baroque painter.De Vos was born in Hulst near Antwerp, now in the Dutch province of Zeeland. Like his older brother Cornelis and younger brother Jan, he studied under the little-known painter David Remeeus...
and Jan studied under the little-known painter David Remeeus (1559–1626). His sister Margaretha married Frans Snyders, while Cornelis himself was married to Jan Wildens
Jan Wildens
Jan Wildens was a Flemish Baroque painter and draughtsman specializing in landscapes.-Biography:Jan Wildens was born in Antwerp in 1586 and at the age of ten was apprenticed to Pieter Verhulst and entered Antwerp's guild of St. Luke in 1604 as a master...
's half-sister Susanna Cock. Although both Paul de Vos and Snyders were animalier
Animalier
An animalier is an artist, mainly from the 19th century, who specializes in, or is known for, skill in the realistic portrayal of animals. "Animal painter" is the more general term for earlier artists...
s, or painters of animals, and Wildens was known for his landscape
Landscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
s, Cornelis did not share either of these specializations. Instead, he painted mythological, biblical and history scenes, still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
s and, in the late 1620s, some monumental genre painting
Genre painting
Genre works, also called genre scenes or genre views, are pictorial representations in any of various media that represent scenes or events from everyday life, such as markets, domestic settings, interiors, parties, inn scenes, and street scenes. Such representations may be realistic, imagined, or...
s. However, De Vos was probably most successful as a painter of individual and group portraits. Additionally, when he became a citizen of Antwerp in 1616 he listed his occupation as an art dealer. De Vos joined the guild of Saint Luke
Guild of Saint Luke
The Guild of Saint Luke was the most common name for a city guild for painters and other artists in early modern Europe, especially in the Low Countries. They were named in honor of the Evangelist Luke, the patron saint of artists, who was identified by John of Damascus as having painted the...
in 1608 at the age of twenty-four, later serving as its dean in 1628.
His style closely follows that of Anthony van Dyck
Anthony van Dyck
Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of Charles I of England and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English portrait-painting for the next...
and, to a lesser extent, Peter Paul Rubens. However, De Vos worked frequently as a collaborator with Rubens. Around 1617 he painted two panels, the Nativity and the Presentation in the Temple, to join thirteen others by local painters, including Rubens—who oversaw the project—Van Dyck, and Jacob Jordaens
Jacob Jordaens
Jacob Jordaens was one of three Flemish Baroque painters, along with Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, to bring prestige to the Antwerp school of painting. Unlike those contemporaries he never traveled abroad to study Italian painting, and his career is marked by an indifference to their...
, in the "Mystery of the Rosary Cycle" for Antwerp's church of St. Paul (the series culminated in Caravaggio
Caravaggio
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta, and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. His paintings, which combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting, had a formative influence on the Baroque...
's Madonna of the Rosary
Madonna of the Rosary (Caravaggio)
The Madonna of the Rosary is a painting finished in 1607 by the Italian Baroque painter Caravaggio. It is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna....
, which was placed in the church in 1620). In 1635, De Vos assisted Rubens on the joyous entry
Joyous Entry
A Joyous Entry was a local name used for the royal entry - the first official peaceable visit of a reigning monarch, prince, duke or governor into a city - mainly in the Duchy of Brabant or the County of Flanders and occasionally in France, Luxembourg or Hungary, often coinciding with...
of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand
Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand
Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand was Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, Infante of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Archbishop of Toledo , and military...
, a project for which he painted twelve royal portraits to Rubens's designs. Between 1636 and 1638 worked again for Rubens, along with his brother Paul in decorating the Torre de la Parada
Torre de la Parada
The Torre de la Parada is a former hunting lodge that was located in present-day Monte de El Pardo in Fuencarral-El Pardo, near the Royal Palace of El Pardo.-History:...
, a hunting lodge of Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
near Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. His work is recognizable by intense color and powerful facial expressions. De Vos died in Antwerp, where he was buried in the cathedral.
His students include Simon de Vos
Simon de Vos
Simon de Vos was a Flemish Baroque painter of genre and cabinet pictures.-Biography:De Vos studied with Cornelis de Vos , to whom he is not related, from 1615 until 1620. In 1620 he joined Antwerp's guild of St...
(1603-76), to whom he is not related.