Mattijs Schoevaerdts (also known as Matthijs Schoevaerdts or Schoevaerts) stands as a notable figure in the rich tapestry of Flemish Baroque art. Active primarily in the latter half of the seventeenth century and into the early eighteenth century, Schoevaerdts carved a niche for himself as a painter, draughtsman, and etcher of meticulously detailed landscapes, bustling market scenes, and vibrant village festivals. Though perhaps not as universally recognized as some of his towering contemporaries like Peter Paul Rubens or Anthony van Dyck, Schoevaerdts's contributions to the Flemish landscape tradition, particularly in the lineage of Jan Brueghel the Elder, are significant and merit closer examination. His works offer a charming window into the daily life, festivities, and picturesque environments of the Southern Netherlands during his time.
Early Life and Artistic Formation in Brussels
Born in Brussels around 1665, Mattijs Schoevaerdts emerged into an artistic environment still resonating with the golden age of Flemish painting. Brussels, though perhaps overshadowed by Antwerp as the primary artistic hub earlier in the century, maintained a vibrant community of artists and craftsmen. It was here that Schoevaerdts received his foundational training. Archival records indicate that he was apprenticed to the landscape painter Adriaen Frans Boudewijns (1644–1711) in 1682. Boudewijns himself was a respected artist known for his landscapes and his collaborations with other painters, often adding figures to his own or others' works. This master-pupil relationship would have provided Schoevaerdts with a solid grounding in the techniques and conventions of landscape painting prevalent at the time.
The influence of Boudewijns is discernible in Schoevaerdts's early work, particularly in the compositional structures and the delicate rendering of foliage. Boudewijns, in turn, had spent time in Paris and was influenced by artists like Adam Frans van der Meulen, who specialized in battle scenes and topographical landscapes for Louis XIV. This connection, however indirect, might have exposed Schoevaerdts to broader European trends. Schoevaerdts's development was further shaped by his membership in the Brussels Guild of Saint Luke, the city's powerful artists' guild. He was registered as a master in the guild in 1690, a testament to his established skill. His standing within the guild grew, as he served as its dean from 1692 to 1694 (some sources state 1692-1696), a position of considerable responsibility and prestige within the local artistic community.
The Enduring Legacy of Jan Brueghel the Elder
One of the most defining characteristics of Mattijs Schoevaerdts's art is its strong stylistic affinity with the work of Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568–1625), often referred to as "Velvet" Brueghel due to the smooth, velvety finish of his paintings, or "Flower" Brueghel for his exquisite still lifes. Though active several decades before Schoevaerdts, Jan Brueghel the Elder's highly detailed, brightly colored, and densely populated landscapes, often depicting biblical scenes, allegories, or everyday life, established a powerful and enduring tradition in Flemish art. This Brueghelian mode of landscape painting, characterized by its meticulous attention to detail, panoramic vistas, and lively staffage (small human and animal figures), remained popular throughout the seventeenth century.
Schoevaerdts can be seen as a direct inheritor and skilled practitioner of this tradition. His paintings frequently feature the high viewpoints, sprawling compositions, and myriad anecdotal details that are hallmarks of Brueghel's style. Like Brueghel, Schoevaerdts delighted in filling his canvases with numerous small figures engaged in a variety of activities, creating a sense of bustling energy and narrative richness. This approach appealed to collectors who enjoyed the intellectual and visual pleasure of exploring these miniature worlds. The influence extended to the depiction of trees with delicate, feathery foliage and the use of a coulisse-like arrangement of landscape elements to create depth. Other artists who continued this Brueghelian tradition, and whose work Schoevaerdts would have known, include Jan Brueghel the Younger and Ambrosius Brueghel, sons of Jan the Elder, as well as followers like Abraham Govaerts and Alexander Keirincx.
Artistic Style: Landscapes, Genre Scenes, and Italianate Vistas
Mattijs Schoevaerdts's oeuvre is primarily composed of landscapes, but these are rarely empty expanses of nature. Instead, they are almost invariably enlivened by human activity, blurring the lines between pure landscape and genre painting. He depicted a wide array of scenes: bustling village kermesses (festivals), lively markets in town squares, serene river landscapes with boats and travellers, coastal scenes with busy harbours, and elegant companies enjoying leisurely pursuits. His figures, though small, are rendered with care and individuality, each contributing to the overall narrative of the scene. They are often shown in dynamic poses, conversing, trading, dancing, or simply going about their daily routines.
A distinctive feature of Schoevaerdts's style is his delicate touch and refined technique. He worked with fine brushes to achieve a high level of detail, particularly in the rendering of architecture, costumes, and the varied textures of the natural world. His color palette is typically bright and harmonious, often characterized by a dominant cool tonality of blues and greens in the landscapes, punctuated by vibrant accents of red, yellow, and ochre in the figures' clothing and architectural details. This careful balance of color contributes to the cheerful and appealing atmosphere of his paintings. While deeply rooted in the Flemish tradition, some of Schoevaerdts's works also exhibit an "Italianate" quality. These paintings often feature classical ruins, sun-drenched Mediterranean settings, and figures in pastoral or antique-inspired attire, reflecting a broader European fascination with Italy. This trend was popularized by artists like Paul Bril, who worked in Rome, and later by Dutch Italianate painters such as Jan Both and Nicolaes Berchem, whose works were widely influential.
Representative Works: A Glimpse into Schoevaerdts's World
Several key works exemplify Mattijs Schoevaerdts's artistic preoccupations and stylistic strengths. Among his most characteristic subjects are village festivals or kermesses. "A Village Kermesse" (examples exist in various collections) typically depicts a lively outdoor celebration with numerous villagers eating, drinking, dancing, and making merry. These scenes are rendered with a keen eye for anecdotal detail, capturing the boisterous energy of communal festivities. The compositions are often panoramic, allowing the viewer to explore different groups of figures and their interactions.
Another common theme is the market scene, as seen in works like "A Townscape with Fruit Vendors, Horsemen, and Villagers Making Merry." Such paintings showcase Schoevaerdts's ability to integrate architecture and figures seamlessly. The town square becomes a stage for a multitude of activities, with vendors displaying their wares, shoppers browsing, and elegantly dressed figures on horseback observing the scene. The architectural elements are rendered with precision, providing a convincing sense of place.
His talent for depicting tranquil river landscapes is evident in paintings such as "Two River Landscapes with Buildings." These works often feature calm waters reflecting the sky, picturesque buildings along the banks, and small boats ferrying passengers or goods. The atmosphere is typically serene, with a soft, diffused light enhancing the idyllic quality of the scene. These landscapes demonstrate his skill in creating depth and perspective, leading the viewer's eye into the distant horizon. He also painted scenes of traditional Dutch or Flemish events, such as the "bull parade" or "Vastenavond (Shrove Tuesday) procession," which were popular subjects for their folkloric and celebratory nature, also treated by artists like David Teniers the Younger, though Schoevaerdts's approach was generally more delicate and less rustic than Teniers's.
Collaborations and Artistic Milieu
In the seventeenth-century Netherlands, collaboration between artists specializing in different genres was a common practice. Landscape painters often teamed up with figure painters (staffage painters) to complete their works. While Schoevaerdts was himself skilled at rendering figures, there is evidence and stylistic suggestion that he, like his master Boudewijns, may have collaborated with other artists. One such frequent collaborator with Adriaen Frans Boudewijns was Pieter Bout (c. 1658–1719), a painter known for his lively and elegant figures. It is highly probable that Schoevaerdts also worked with Bout or artists of similar specialization.
The stylistic similarities between Schoevaerdts, Boudewijns, and Bout are often striking, sometimes making definitive attributions challenging. Their works share a common vocabulary of landscape elements, figure types, and compositional strategies. This close artistic relationship underscores the collaborative and workshop-based nature of art production in this period. Schoevaerdts's artistic circle would have also included other Brussels-based landscape and genre painters. The city's artistic scene, while perhaps not as dominant as Antwerp's, still fostered a community where artists exchanged ideas and influenced one another. Figures like Jacques d'Arthois, known for his large-scale forest landscapes, or Cornelis Huysmans, who also painted wooded scenes, were active during a similar period, contributing to the diversity of Flemish landscape painting.
Draughtsmanship and Printmaking
Beyond his activities as a painter, Mattijs Schoevaerdts was also a skilled draughtsman and etcher. His drawings, often executed in pen and ink with wash, exhibit the same meticulous attention to detail and lively characterization found in his paintings. These drawings served various purposes: some were preparatory studies for paintings, allowing him to work out compositional arrangements and figural groupings; others were finished works of art in their own right, valued for their spontaneity and calligraphic quality. The practice of drawing was fundamental to artistic training and production, and artists like Rembrandt van Rijn in the Northern Netherlands had elevated it to a major art form.
Schoevaerdts also produced etchings, a printmaking technique that allowed for the wider dissemination of his compositions. Etching, with its ability to capture fine lines and subtle tonal variations, was well-suited to his detailed style. His prints, like his paintings and drawings, typically featured landscapes populated with numerous figures. The tradition of printmaking was strong in the Netherlands, with artists like Jacques Callot (though French, highly influential in the Low Countries) and later Romeyn de Hooghe producing intricate and popular prints. Schoevaerdts's engagement with printmaking indicates his desire to reach a broader audience and participate in this important aspect of the art market.
Later Career, Death, and Legacy
Information regarding the later stages of Mattijs Schoevaerdts's career and the exact date of his death is somewhat scarce and occasionally conflicting in older sources. He is generally believed to have died around 1702 in Brussels. However, some art historical accounts suggest he may have been active for longer, with one document from 1712 reportedly mentioning him as still active, and a death date as late as 1723 has been proposed by some scholars. Regardless of the precise chronology, his artistic output appears to have been consistent throughout his active years. His brother, Pieter Schoevaerdts, was also a painter, and his nephew, Pieter van der Meulen (son of Adam Frans van der Meulen and possibly a pupil of Boudewijns), became a notable landscape painter, suggesting a familial artistic lineage.
Mattijs Schoevaerdts's paintings remained popular with collectors well into the eighteenth century, appreciated for their decorative qualities, charming subject matter, and meticulous execution. His works found their way into numerous private collections across Europe. In the art historical narrative, he is recognized as a significant follower of the Brueghelian tradition, successfully adapting it to the tastes of the late seventeenth century. While he may not have been a radical innovator, his consistent quality and appealing style secured him a respectable place among the "Kleinmeister" (Little Masters) of Flemish art – artists who specialized in cabinet-sized paintings of everyday scenes and landscapes. His influence can be seen in the work of later Flemish landscape painters who continued to work in a detailed and picturesque manner. Artists like Balthasar Paul Ommeganck, though active much later in the 18th and early 19th centuries, continued a tradition of finely painted landscapes with animals that distantly echoes the meticulousness of earlier masters.
Art Historical Position and Evaluation
In the broader context of European art history, Mattijs Schoevaerdts is valued for his contribution to the Flemish landscape and genre painting tradition. He represents a continuation of the highly detailed and narrative style popularized by Jan Brueghel the Elder, demonstrating the enduring appeal of this mode of painting. His works are characterized by a harmonious blend of naturalistic observation and imaginative composition, creating scenes that are both believable and delightful to explore.
His skill in rendering numerous small figures with individual character and lively interaction is particularly noteworthy. These figures are not mere accessories to the landscape but integral components that animate the scenes and provide narrative interest. His ability to manage complex compositions with many elements, while maintaining clarity and visual coherence, speaks to his considerable technical proficiency. Furthermore, his use of color – typically bright, clear, and harmoniously balanced – contributes significantly to the pleasing aesthetic of his paintings. The often cheerful and idyllic atmosphere he conjured resonated with the desires of his patrons for art that was both engaging and decorative.
While the historical record of his life is not as complete as that of some of his more famous contemporaries, his surviving body of work provides ample evidence of his artistic talent and his significant role within the Brussels art scene. His paintings are held in numerous public and private collections worldwide, including the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels, the Louvre in Paris, and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, attesting to their enduring appeal and art historical importance. He stands as a testament to the depth and richness of Flemish art beyond its most celebrated figures, an artist whose charming and meticulously crafted visions of seventeenth-century life continue to captivate viewers today. His work, alongside that of contemporaries like Theobald Michau, who also painted in a Brueghelian vein, ensures the vitality of this specific Flemish tradition well into the later Baroque period.
