catalog text
"THE SILVERSMITH"
Léon "de Meuter" Brunin (Belgian, 1861-1949)
Oil on cradled panel | Signed upper left "Léon Brunin / Anvers"
Item # 106WTP15X
The present scene is a vivid and dramatic depiction of a silversmith holding in his hand a gilded chalice while a very large silver vessel rests on a stand behind him. Clearly a wealthy man with a careful eye for his garment and the design of the room he works in, the emphasis of the scene is nonetheless emphasizing a passion for labor. The silversmith is focused entirely on the object in his hand, allowing the light to bounce off of the high and low points of the repoussé while the chisel in his hand is at the ready. It is a fine example of his work with brilliant use of saturated colors and a high-chroma palette to firmly draw in the viewer. The scene unpacks slowly as the intricate details are observed and digested - the plush velour of his desk, the rich carved architectural columns behind him, the chaotic gilded foliage of the wallpaper.
The work is executed on a cradled panel and is hung in a contemporary gilt-and-ebonized frame. Typical of his scenes, it is signed in the upper left corner "Léon Brunin / Anvers".
For similar examples, see the roughly same size work offered at Christie's, New York, Sale 8221, 14 June 1999, lot 156, a picture of a taxidermist in his studio L'Empailleur which achieved $ 9,200 USD. Another interesting example of smaller size is the interior scene of Teatime offered at Shannon's, Connecticut, 25 October 2018, lot 155, which achieved $ 6250 USD. The notably smaller scene The Chess Game offered at Aspire Auctions on 1 September 2011, lot 24, achieved $ 10,637.50. Brunin's picture of Le cadeau de fiançailles was offered at Bernaerts on 19 May 2011 as lot 619 where it achieved 6200 euros.
LEON "DE MEUTER" BRUNIN
With a style uniquely his own, Brunin specialized in whimsical genre scenes that were often portraits of interesting characters and curious places. Heavily inspired by the Dutch masters, Rembrandt in particular, his work is notable for its depicting of humble and common people with a vivid use of color, intricate brush work, minute attention to detail and a technical eye for manipulating shadows and harsh light to create drama.
Born in Antwerp in 1861 and baptized as "Leon de Meuter", Brunin entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts where he studied under the painters Polydore Beaufaux and Charles Verlat. He was one of the founders of the Als-ik-kan ("if I can") circle of art in Brussels in 1883 and became a teacher at the Academy starting in 1886. In the 1898 book "Nos Peintres Anversois" by Gustave de Graeve he was described as an established and well-respected painter living in the Shipperskwartier in Antwerp and as a man who was boorish, energetic and virile. He participated in numerous exhibitions and expositions throughout Europe, winning prizes in Amsterdam, Paris and Munich, exhibiting as far away as Chicago. He died in Antwerp in 1949.
Measurements: 31 5/8" H x 22" W [panel]; 37" H x 27 5/8" W x 1 3/8" D [frame]
Condition Report:
Cradled panel with restored vertical lines of stabalized striation in the panel. Surface presents bright, clean and remains in stable nearly excellent condition. Under UV examination, spots of inpainting to the vertical restored cracks - notably the vertical center of the image, inpainting to base and baluster of the chalice, edges of the same hand and sleeve; examination somewhat obscured by the fresh flaring green varnish throughout the scene.