Lion Hunt - Wolf and Fox Hunt

The two large paintings, with contemporary gilt frames, presented today depict two hunting scenes full of movement set in an open landscape. The first episode depicts a scene of aristocratic wolf and fox hunting. On the left are the higher-ranking figures, among whom a noblewoman stands out, elegantly dressed, who is observing the hunt by practicing falconry, an activity particularly prestigious among European nobles. Next to her in the foreground, a nobleman in colorful clothes rides a white horse illuminated by a light that immediately catches the viewer's eye. In the center and to the right, a servant blows a horn while hunters, on foot and on horseback, armed with lances and sticks, participate in the hunt, aided by dogs that keep the poor wild animals under control. In the background, in a natural landscape dominated by high mountains, a bridge can be seen, while among trees and clearings, two hunters continue the pursuit on foot. The second painting depicts a lion hunt, a scene of great tension. In the foreground, knights armed with lances confront and defend themselves against the large beasts with sharp teeth and claws; in the background, other knights, masterfully painted, pursue a large feline. Both compositions are derived from engravings by Boetius Adamsz. Bolswert after inventions by Peter Paul Rubens, representing an iconographic repertoire of great importance. They testify to the circulation of images and the international success of Rubens' graphic work, serving as inspirational models for numerous painters. The two canvases are attributable to the painter Lucas de Wael, a Flemish painter who worked in Genoa for a long time, known primarily for landscapes and scenes animated by small figures. In these "large-scale" works, his landscape component is recognizable; the vegetation, mountains, and luminous sky show his great skill in creating perspective and depth. Rubens' influence emerges in the theatricality of the movement and narrative tension of the two hunts. Born in Antwerp in 1591, a painter and art dealer, he had direct relations with numerous Flemish colleagues, particularly in Genoa, where he moved in 1619 with his brother Cornelis. Their house/workshop became a reception center and point of contact for artists arriving in Italy. In painting, hunting was often a symbol of the power of the nobility, expressing courage, wealth, and dominion over nature. The style of the works is attributable to the Flemish/Genoese painter Lucas de Wael, and on one of the canvases, a signature is visible, an "L de W" monogram compatible with the painter Lucas de Wael, but a collaboration with his brother Cornelis cannot be excluded. In light of new discoveries, new attributions, comparative studies, or technical analyses, these two paintings could in the future constitute the missing link for reconstructing the artistic itinerary of a still little-known painter. Dimensions: canvas 156 x 120.5 cm - frame 175 x 141 cm