Jacob van Oost the Younger (1637–1713) - NO RESERVE, Follower of - Saint Macarius of Ghent administering Communion to plague victims

Circle or Workshop of Jacob van Oost the Younger (1637–1713)
Saint Macarius of Ghent administering communion to the lepers

Technique: oil on canvas
Canvas size: 53 × 42 cm
Proposed chronology: early 18th century /
School: European, according to Flemish model
Condition: old work re-stretched, with historical restorations
Signature: not visible
Provenance: private Spanish collection

Description

Interesting old oil on canvas that reproduces, in a reduced format, the famous composition by Jacob van Oost the Younger (1637–1713) currently conserved at the Musée du Louvre, Paris, INV 1672, executed in 1673.

The scene represents Saint Macarius of Ghent administering communion to the lepers, iconography linked to episodes of plague and spiritual assistance typical of European Baroque religiosity.

The composition presents a complex and densely populated structure. In the center, the figure of the saint concentrates the liturgical action, while around him religious figures, assistants, the sick, the dying and laid-out bodies are distributed. In the upper register are angelic figures that introduce the celestial plane into the earthly tragedy.

Especially notable is the treatment of light, used selectively to guide the eye toward certain flesh tones, garments and bodies. The broken whites of the rochet, the deep reds of the fabrics and the range of earth tones, greenish blacks and ochres generate a chiaroscuro with a strongly Baroque root.

Despite its small dimensions, the painter has managed to condense a composition originally monumental, preserving many of its characters, diagonals and spatial relationships. Some secondary figures are resolved with quick and abbreviated brushwork, while the protagonists receive greater attention.

A composition with a particularly interesting history

The Louvre painting was long known under a different identification, as Saint Charles Borromeo among the lepers, before its iconography was subsequently revised and related to Saint Macarius of Ghent.

This old confusion is particularly interesting because it demonstrates the complex historical fortune of the composition and the existence of a tradition of versions, copies and later reinterpretations.

The present work clearly reproduces Van Oost’s model, but its exact date, place of execution and circumstances of realization remain open to investigation.

Because of its material and pictorial characteristics, it could be an old reduction made during the 18th century or in the first decades of the 19th century, although a deeper technical study will be required to specify its chronology.

Should not be understood as an attribution to Van Oost’s workshop: it is prudently presented as an old work executed according to its famous composition.

Condition report

The work presents a complex and visible material history.

The canvas has been re-stretched in a previous intervention. There are old fractures, folds, craquelure, restorations and pictorial reintegrations, as well as surface darkening compatible with aged varnishes and the passage of time.

These interventions form part of the conservation history of the piece. A future cleaning and ultraviolet light study could provide additional information about both the original surface and the restorations carried out over the years.

Photographic detail

Carefully examine all detail photographs, which form an integral part of the description and faithfully show the current state of conservation.

Note for the collector

This is a particularly attractive work for those who enjoy not only old painting but also its historical research.

The exact identification of the Louvre prototype provides an exceptionally solid starting point, while questions about the precise age of this version, its place of execution, how it arrived in Spain and whether it was made directly in front of the original or from a graphic source or another old version remain open.

A painting that preserves, therefore, part of its history still to be discovered.

Frame: the frame is included free of charge as a complement to the work. Due to its age and condition, it will not be the subject of a claim.

Shipping: Barcelona Art Gallery ships via a professional company, using custom-made boxes and foam protections. Worldwide shipments are made. For large-format works or continental/non-EU destinations, any potential logistic surcharge will be borne by the buyer.