Philip Fruytiers

Background

He was a pupil of the Jesuits' college at Antwerp in 1627, and entered the Antwerp gild of painters without a fee in 1631.

Career

He worked exclusively in water colours. The truth is that he was an artist of the most versatile talents, as may be judged from the fact that in 1646 he executed an Assumption with figures of life size, and four smaller pictures in oil, for the church of St Jacques at Antwerp, for which he received the considerable sum of 1150 florins. Unhappily no undoubted production of his hand has been preserved. Fundamentally his works is a series of etched plates, chiefly portraits, which are acknowledged to have been powerfully and skilfully handled. If, however, we search the portfolios of art collections on the European continent, we sometimes stumble upon miniatures on vellum, drawn with great talent and coloured with extraordinary brilliancy.

Achievements

• The most famous miniature of Fruytiers depicts four children of Rubens and his second wife Helena Fourment with two servants.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Classic Art Poster - Portrait of Marius Ambrosius Capello, Philip Fruytiers, 1620 - 1666 9" x 13"
  • Classic Art Poster - Jesuit kneeling before an altar, Philip Fruytiers, 1620 - 1666 16" x 20"
  • Classic Art Poster - Portrait of Jacques Nobleman, Philip Fruytiers, 1620 - 1666 17" x 22"
  • Classic Art Poster - Portrait of Christina, Queen of Sweden, Philip Fruytiers, 1626 - 1666 11" x 14"
  • Classic Art Poster - Portrait of Cornelis Jansenius, bishop of Ypres, Philip Fruytiers, 1620 - 1666 11" x 14"

Personality

He is described in the register of the Antwerp gild of painters as "illuminator, painter and engraver. " He was so remarkable in water colors, drawing, and especially for force and clearness of colour, as to excite the admiration of Rubens, whom he portrayed with all his family.

Connections

Father:

Jan Fruytiers

Mother:

Catherina Vervloet