Cornelis Bega
1631/2 – 1664
Peasants warming themselves before a Fire
Medium:
Oil on Panel
Category:
Dimensions:
23.1(h) x 17.4(w) cms
Framed Dimensions:
33(h) x 27.7(w) cms
Signed:
signed 'C.Bega' on the Lintel, upper Right
Exhibitions:
Paired with:
Essay:
Cornelis Bega's larger pictures strongly take after his teacher Adriaen van Ostade. Some of his smaller works, however, are rather more enigmatic and distinct to Bega like the present pictures. The warm gloom of a tavern, the narrowly cropped scene, and the figures with their backs turned make this pair unusual amongst genre paintings. Neither portrait-like nor narrative focused, these scenes appear more like a glance around a room.
A note on the provenance:
The Leks were a Jewish family who lived in Antwerp until 1940 when they were forced to flee to Britain due to Hitler's invasion of Belgium. The family settled in North Wales where Karel became a successful artist. He found inspiration in observing couples on the street and in cafes. His work often depicts fleeting moments of human interaction. His father Hendrik was also an artist and became an antique dealer after he moved to Britain.
Provenance:
Collection of Hendrik Lek (1903 - 1985), Antwerp,
By inheritance to his son the artist Karel Lek ARCA, MBE (1929 - 2020), Wales.
