Kerstiaen de Keuninck the Elder (c. 1560 – 1632/33) stands as a significant, if sometimes overlooked, figure in the rich tapestry of Flemish Baroque painting. Active primarily in Antwerp, he carved a distinct niche for himself with his dramatic and often fantastical landscape paintings. While many of his contemporaries journeyed to Italy to absorb the lessons of the Renaissance and the burgeoning Baroque, De Keuninck forged a path rooted more firmly in Northern traditions, imbuing his works with a unique visionary quality. His canvases, often depicting cataclysmic events, rugged mountainscapes, and eerie, atmospheric lighting, offer a compelling glimpse into the artistic currents of the late 16th and early 17th centuries in the Southern Netherlands.
Early Life and Artistic Formation in Antwerp
Born in Courtrai (Kortrijk), a city in the Flemish province of West Flanders, around 1560, Kerstiaen de Keuninck's artistic destiny would unfold primarily in Antwerp, the bustling economic and cultural heart of the Spanish Netherlands. While details of his earliest training remain somewhat obscure, it is documented that he was living and working in Antwerp from a young age. A pivotal moment in his early career occurred in 1577 when he was enrolled as an apprentice in the prestigious Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp. This guild, a vital institution for artists and craftsmen, regulated training, quality, and professional conduct.
By 1580, De Keuninck had achieved the status of 'master' within the Guild, a testament to his skill and dedication. This designation allowed him to establish his own workshop, take on apprentices, and sell his works independently. Unlike many of his peers, such as Paul Bril or Jan Brueghel the Elder, who undertook formative trips to Italy, De Keuninck appears to have remained in Flanders. This decision significantly shaped his artistic trajectory, leading him to develop a style less directly influenced by Italianate classicism and more deeply connected to the imaginative landscape traditions of the North, exemplified by earlier masters like Joachim Patinir and Herri met de Bles. His son, also named Kerstiaen de Keuninck (referred to as "the Younger"), would later follow in his father's footsteps as a painter.
The Distinctive Style of De Keuninck: Fantasy and Drama
Kerstiaen de Keuninck's artistic signature lies in his imaginative and often dramatic interpretation of landscape. His works are characterized by a departure from strict naturalism, venturing instead into realms of fantasy. He frequently depicted towering, craggy mountains with exaggerated, almost surreal rock formations, often bathed in an unsettling, theatrical light. This dramatic use of chiaroscuro – strong contrasts between light and dark – became a hallmark of his style, heightening the emotional intensity of his scenes.
His palette often favored earthy tones, blues, and greens for the landscapes themselves, punctuated by fiery reds, oranges, and yellows in scenes of conflagration or divine intervention. The handling of paint could vary from relatively detailed passages to broader, more suggestive brushwork, particularly in rendering foliage or atmospheric effects. He possessed a notable skill in composition, arranging complex scenes with a sense of dynamic energy. A sense of unease, of nature's untamed power, and sometimes a feeling of human insignificance before vast, overwhelming landscapes, permeates many of his paintings. This "world landscape" tradition, showing expansive vistas, was a Northern European specialty, and De Keuninck pushed its boundaries towards the fantastical.
Thematic Preferences: Cataclysms and Biblical Narratives
De Keuninck's subject matter often gravitated towards scenes of disaster, biblical narratives, and mythological episodes, all of which provided ample opportunity for his dramatic visual language. He seemed particularly drawn to themes of destruction and divine judgment. These subjects allowed him to explore extreme lighting conditions, tumultuous skies, and the raw power of nature or supernatural forces.
Among his favored themes were the "Burning of Troy," a subject popular in the Renaissance and Baroque periods, allowing artists to depict chaos, architectural ruin, and intense human drama. Similarly, the "Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah" offered a potent biblical narrative of divine wrath, perfect for his dramatic use of fire and light. These themes resonated with a contemporary audience familiar with classical literature and biblical stories, and they provided a vehicle for moral or allegorical interpretations, as well as sheer visual spectacle. His landscapes often included small figures, which, while sometimes narratively important, were frequently dwarfed by the grandeur and wildness of their surroundings, emphasizing the sublime power of nature or the divine.
Representative Works: A Closer Look
Several key works exemplify Kerstiaen de Keuninck's style and thematic concerns, many of which are now housed in prominent museum collections worldwide.
The Fire of Troy (also known as The Burning of Troy or The Fall of Troy): This subject was one De Keuninck returned to multiple times, with notable versions found in various collections, including one formerly with the Koetser Gallery and another in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes. These paintings are typically characterized by a chaotic scene of a city engulfed in flames, with dramatic contrasts between the glowing inferno and the dark, smoke-filled sky. Tiny figures flee the destruction, their plight underscoring the tragedy. De Keuninck masterfully uses the light of the fire to illuminate the scene, creating a sense of urgency and terror. The architectural elements, often a mix of classical and fantastical structures, crumble under the onslaught.
Landscape with Tobias and the Angel: Several versions of this subject are attributed to De Keuninck, including one in the Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht, and another in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (though sometimes debated). This biblical story from the Book of Tobit, where the young Tobias, guided by the Archangel Raphael, catches a fish whose gall will cure his father's blindness, was a popular theme. De Keuninck typically sets the scene within one of his characteristic expansive and rugged landscapes. The figures of Tobias and the Angel, while central to the narrative, are often integrated into a vast, mountainous terrain, emphasizing the journey and the wildness of the environment. The light often plays a crucial role, perhaps highlighting the divine presence of the angel or creating a mystical atmosphere.
A Mountainous Landscape with a Waterfall: This title describes a common type of composition for De Keuninck, with examples found in various collections (e.g., one sold at Sotheby's). These works showcase his skill in rendering dramatic mountain scenery, cascading water, and lush, untamed foliage. The compositions often feature a high viewpoint, looking down into a valley or across a series of peaks. The play of light on the water and rocks, and the sense of depth created by atmospheric perspective, are key features. Such paintings highlight his interest in the sublime aspects of nature, its power, and its untamed beauty.
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: Like The Fire of Troy, this was a theme that allowed De Keuninck to explore dramatic effects of fire and divine retribution. Versions of this subject (e.g., one in the Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen) depict the biblical cities being consumed by fire raining from heaven, with Lot and his daughters fleeing in the foreground. The intense light of the cataclysm contrasts sharply with the surrounding darkness, creating a powerful visual and emotional impact. These works underscore the moralizing undertones present in much of the religious art of the period.
Rocky Landscape with a River and Travellers: This generic title covers many of De Keuninck's works where the primary focus is the imaginative landscape itself, populated by small figures that add scale and a hint of narrative. An example can be found in the Prado Museum, Madrid. These paintings emphasize his skill in creating complex rock formations, winding rivers, and distant vistas, often with a slightly unsettling or mysterious atmosphere.
Artistic Milieu and Contemporaries
Kerstiaen de Keuninck operated within a vibrant artistic community in Antwerp. While he did not travel to Italy, the influence of Italian art, particularly in landscape, was indirectly felt through prints and the work of returning artists. However, his style remained more closely aligned with a specific Flemish landscape tradition that emphasized fantasy and dramatic natural features.
He was a contemporary of several notable landscape painters. Joos de Momper the Younger (1564-1635) was a leading figure in Antwerp known for his extensive output of mountain landscapes, often with a similar fantastical quality, though De Momper's style could be more formulaic at times. It's highly probable they knew each other and perhaps even influenced one another. Tobias Verhaecht (1561-1631), who was Peter Paul Rubens's first teacher, also specialized in mountainous and "world" landscapes, often with a slightly earlier, more Mannerist feel.
Gillis van Coninxloo (1544-1607), though slightly older and having moved to Amsterdam later in his career, was a pivotal figure in the development of forest landscapes, moving away from the high-viewpoint world landscapes towards more intimate woodland scenes. His influence was significant on the next generation. Roelant Savery (1576-1639), born in Courtrai like De Keuninck but active in Amsterdam and Prague, was renowned for his detailed depictions of animals, flowers, and lush, often exotic landscapes, sometimes with a similar fantastical bent.
Other landscape specialists active in Flanders during or around De Keuninck's time include Abraham Govaerts (1589-1626), known for his wooded landscapes, and Alexander Keirincx (1600-1652), who developed a more naturalistic style. While De Keuninck's focus was landscape, the dominant figure in Antwerp during the later part of his career was, of course, Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). Though Rubens was primarily a figure painter, his later landscapes were revolutionary in their dynamism and naturalism, offering a different path from De Keuninck's more fantastical visions. Other major figures in Antwerp included Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641), Rubens's most famous pupil, and Jacob Jordaens (1593-1678), who also contributed to the city's artistic fame. The genre painters like Adriaen Brouwer (1605/6-1638) and David Teniers the Younger (1610-1690) captured different aspects of Flemish life. This rich environment provided both competition and stimulus for artists like De Keuninck.
Critical Reception and Historical Assessment
Historically, Kerstiaen de Keuninck has been recognized for his distinctive approach to landscape, particularly his dramatic use of light and his imaginative, often rugged, mountain scenes. However, his reputation has sometimes been overshadowed by contemporaries who embraced Italianate trends or achieved greater international fame, like Rubens or Jan Brueghel the Elder.
Some criticisms leveled against his work, both historically and in modern assessments, touch upon a few key areas:
1. Stylistic Repetition: Like many prolific artists of his time who ran active workshops, there can be a degree of repetition in his motifs and compositions. His focus on mountainous, fiery, or stormy landscapes, while a strength, could also be perceived as a limitation in thematic range compared to artists with broader repertoires.
2. Lack of Naturalistic Detail: While his compositions are powerful, some critics have noted that his rendering of natural details – rocks, foliage, etc. – can sometimes be generalized or stylized rather than minutely observed from nature. For instance, a work like Rocky Mountain (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna) has been described as having details that verge on the "absurd" in their lack of realism, prioritizing dramatic effect over verisimilitude. This, however, is also part of his unique fantastical style.
3. Over-reliance on Drama: The very theatricality that makes his work compelling can also be seen by some as overly dramatic or sensationalist, particularly in his disaster scenes. The emphasis on strong light-dark contrasts and turbulent elements might overshadow more subtle observations of nature.
4. Comparison with Italianate Styles: His decision not to study in Italy meant his work developed along a different trajectory. While this resulted in a unique Northern voice, some art historical narratives have traditionally privileged Italian influence, potentially leading to his style being seen as somewhat provincial or less sophisticated in classical terms, though this view is increasingly being challenged.
Despite these points, De Keuninck's contribution is significant. He was a key figure in a particular strand of Flemish landscape painting that valued imagination and dramatic expression. His ability to create powerful, atmospheric scenes and his distinctive handling of light and mountainous forms secured him a place in the history of art. His works demonstrate a transition from the earlier, more panoramic "world landscapes" of Patinir towards a more focused, emotionally charged depiction of nature, often imbued with a sense of the sublime or the uncanny.
Legacy and Enduring Appeal
Kerstiaen de Keuninck the Elder left a notable mark on Flemish landscape painting. His works were collected in his lifetime and continue to be found in major museums and private collections, attesting to their enduring appeal. He successfully ran a workshop and influenced other artists, including his son. His paintings offer a fascinating counterpoint to the more naturalistic or classicizing trends in landscape art of his time.
His legacy lies in his contribution to the diversity of landscape painting in the Low Countries. He demonstrated that a powerful artistic vision could be forged without direct immersion in Italian art, drawing instead on Northern traditions and personal imagination. His dramatic, fantastical landscapes, filled with craggy mountains, turbulent skies, and often scenes of cataclysm, continue to intrigue viewers with their unique blend of the recognizable and the imagined. They speak to a fascination with the power of nature, the drama of human history and mythology, and the expressive possibilities of paint. In an era of great artistic innovation, Kerstiaen de Keuninck carved out a distinctive and memorable path. His art serves as a reminder of the rich variety and imaginative power that characterized the Flemish Baroque.
