Pieter Neeffs the Elder and Bonaventura Peeters the Elder, 'An Evening Service in a Church', 1649
About the work
Overview
Pieter Neeffs painted this nocturnal church interior, but it was another Antwerp artist, Bonaventura Peeters, who did the many figures. Only Neeffs signed the picture, however, followed by the year it was painted (1649). The painting, which depicts a chapel during Mass, is a more elaborate version of another work made in Neeff’s studio, which is also in the National Gallery’s collection: View of a Chapel at Evening.
Here, a piece of fabric with a red cross partially covers an altarpiece that forms the backdrop for Mass. The priest faces the altar, on which a carved crucifix and two tall candles stand. The altar boys kneeling to the sides hold long tapers, used to light the candles. Many have gathered to hear the service, and kneel in contemplation; some read prayer books or Bibles. The light coming from the chapel allows a view beyond it and into the dark church.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- An Evening Service in a Church
- Artist dates
- active 1605 - 1656/61; 1614 - 1652
- Date made
- 1649
- Medium and support
- oil on wood
- Dimensions
- 26.8 × 38.2 cm
- Inscription summary
- Signed; Dated
- Acquisition credit
- Bequeathed by Henry Callcott Brunning, 1907
- Inventory number
- NG2206
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Gregory Martin, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Flemish School: circa 1600–circa 1900’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1986Martin, Gregory, National Gallery Catalogues: The Flemish School, circa 1600 - circa 1900, London 1986
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
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