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Lot Essay
Louis de Caullery trained in Antwerp from 1594 under Joos de Momper, before becoming an independent master in 1602. Specialising as a genre and landscape painter, it is generally assumed that he travelled to Italy, possibly visiting Venice, Florence and Rome. This hypothesis is evidenced through the painter’s use of colour, which was somewhat innovative in Antwerp.
This picture, animated by elegant figures, shows the famed firework display or girandola at Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome. This tended to be organised around religious festivals, including the election and coronation of the Pope, as well as the festival of Saints Peter and Paul. Though no strict programme was used, the spectacle was normally divided into distinct phases: firstly, lights were illuminated between the merlos of the castle while cannons fired salutes. Then wood and straw were set alight in front of the palazzos along the Tiber, prompting fireworks to be set off, and finally a rocket and catherine-wheel were lit from the top of the castle. The Castel provided the ideal setting for the displays since its position on the river reflected the lights, enhancing the spectacle.
This picture bears the mark of Peeter Stas (c. 1565-1617) on the reverse, one of Antwerp’s most significant makers of copper plates. As the popularity of using copper as a support for painting grew during the latter half of the sixteenth century, the number of trained coppersmiths in Antwerp began to increase and by 1602, twenty-five masters were registered at the Blacksmith’s Guild. Despite the relatively large group of specialised coppersmiths in the city, only five can be associated with making copper plates for painters (J. Wadrum, ‘Peeter Stas: An Antwerp Coppersmith and his Marks (1587-1610)’, A. Roy and P. Smith (eds.), Painting Techniques, History Materials and Studio Practice, Windsor, 1998, p. 140). Stas, who supplied leading Antwerp painters like Jan Brueghel, appears to have been the most prolific, judging from the number of known panels.
This picture, animated by elegant figures, shows the famed firework display or girandola at Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome. This tended to be organised around religious festivals, including the election and coronation of the Pope, as well as the festival of Saints Peter and Paul. Though no strict programme was used, the spectacle was normally divided into distinct phases: firstly, lights were illuminated between the merlos of the castle while cannons fired salutes. Then wood and straw were set alight in front of the palazzos along the Tiber, prompting fireworks to be set off, and finally a rocket and catherine-wheel were lit from the top of the castle. The Castel provided the ideal setting for the displays since its position on the river reflected the lights, enhancing the spectacle.
This picture bears the mark of Peeter Stas (c. 1565-1617) on the reverse, one of Antwerp’s most significant makers of copper plates. As the popularity of using copper as a support for painting grew during the latter half of the sixteenth century, the number of trained coppersmiths in Antwerp began to increase and by 1602, twenty-five masters were registered at the Blacksmith’s Guild. Despite the relatively large group of specialised coppersmiths in the city, only five can be associated with making copper plates for painters (J. Wadrum, ‘Peeter Stas: An Antwerp Coppersmith and his Marks (1587-1610)’, A. Roy and P. Smith (eds.), Painting Techniques, History Materials and Studio Practice, Windsor, 1998, p. 140). Stas, who supplied leading Antwerp painters like Jan Brueghel, appears to have been the most prolific, judging from the number of known panels.