Interior of a Gothic Church at Night
probably ca. 1635–40
Medium
Oil on copper
Dimensions
5 1/8 x 6 1/2 in. (13 x 16.5 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Edward C. Post, 1915
Accession Number
30.58.21
Tags
Art Historical Context
This luminous little painting captures the hushed grandeur of a Gothic church interior illuminated only by flickering candles and lamps. Created around 1635–40 by Flemish artists Pieter Neeffs the Elder and Frans Francken III, the work exemplifies the specialized collaboration common in 17th-century Antwerp workshops. Neeffs, renowned for his precise architectural perspectives, rendered the soaring vaults and intricate stonework, while Francken added the small figures of worshippers and visitors who populate the nave. Painted in oil on copper, the medium’s smooth surface allowed for extraordi...
About the Artist
Pieter Neeffs the Elder|Frans Francken III (Flemish|Flemish) · 1607 |1605 –1667 |1661
Flemish, 1607–1667|Flemish, active 1605–1656/61