Gonzales Coques, 'A Family Group', about 1664
About the work
Overview
We don’t know their names, but this was undoubtedly a wealthy, fashion-conscious family, almost certainly from Antwerp where the artist, Gonzales Coques, was based. Group portraits such as this were popular among the city elite and artists incorporated gestures, looks and activities to bring the scene to life and to suggest the character of the individuals and their relationships to each other.
Here the father, serious and slightly preoccupied, looks down to his left. His son – dressed in skirts, which were commonly worn by boys – is distracted by the antics of a tame bird, but looks the same direction. The wife and daughters, however, look on a contrasting diagonal. This sequence of figures forms a graceful arc, linked and contrasted by looks and gestures.
The eldest daughter stands alone, slightly outside the group. The roses she gathers are symbolic of love and marriage – this and her position may indicate that she is about to marry and leave her immediate family.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- A Family Group
- Artist
- Gonzales Coques
- Artist dates
- 1614/18 - 1684
- Date made
- about 1664
- Medium and support
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 64.2 × 85.5 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Bought, 1871
- Inventory number
- NG821
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
- Previous owners
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.