Jan Frans van Bloemen, called l'Orizzonte Antwerp 1662 - 1749 Rome

The actual paintings are softer, and slightly more green and less red in tone than the catalogue illustrations suggest. Both canvasses have a slightly stiff relining. In the painting with the waterfall, a vertical retouched scratch can be observed along the left edge, running from the upper to the lower edge. Another thin retouched horizontal stretch of approx. 10 cm. is visible in the upper right corner. Otherwise, in both paintings no major damages seem to be apparent. In both paintings the paint surface is in good condition, and the figures have been nicely preserved. Inspection under UV-light confirms the aforementioned retouchings in former painting, and reveals and additional retouched horizontal scratch just above the lower edge, running from the left to right edge. Some tiny spots of retouchings are revealed in the architecture, in the sky, and in the foreground. In the latter painting, inspection under UV-light reveals a small repaired damage to the centre left and tiny retouchings in the sky, the foliage to the right, along the right edge and in the foreground. Both paintings are covered with a thick and unevenly cleaned layer of varnish. Offered in black wood frames with gilt moulded fillets in good condition. (MW)
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Born in Antwerp, Jan Frans van Bloemen, called l'Orizzonte was one of the most important exponents of classical landscape paintings in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century. He followed in the tradition of Poussin and Claude, by creating idealized, Italianate landscapes with classical architecture and elegant figures, such as these paintings.

After spending a few years in  Lyon and Turin, he travelled to Rome in 1689, where he joined the Bentvueghels, the brotherhood for expatriate Dutch and Flemish artists, who gave him his nickname, l'Orizzonte. In Rome he enjoyed great fame and his patrons included members of the Doria, Rospigliosi and Corsini famillies.