Galerie De Jonckheere, Paris;

Acquis auprès de cette dernière par les parents des actuels propriétaires en 2005 ;

Collection particulière, France

The most influential landscape painter of his time, Paul Bril was born in Breda in 1553 or 1554. He trained in Antwerp with the unknown Damiaen Ortelmans and, at only 14 years old, supported himself by painting landscapes on harpsichords. He travelled to Rome in 1576, where he joined his elder brother Matthijs, who was involved in large scale fresco painting. After Matthijs’ premature death in 1583, Paul succeeded him on several Papal commissions in the Vatican and in various churches and villas in and around Rome. He played a crucial role, not only artistically but also socially in the Eternal City. He was principe of the Accademia di San Luca and a member of the society called Virtuosi al Pantheon. Furthermore, Bril introduced Jan Brueghel the Elder to the important patron Cardinal Federico Borromeo, he was best man at the marriage of the influential German painter Adam Elsheimer, and he housed Bartolomeus Breenbergh for many years. The master died in 1626 leaving an impressive oeuvre of wall decorations, etchings, drawings and paintings. His work paved the way for Claude Lorrain who would become the most important landscape painter in seventeenth century Europe.   

Bril’s work is firmly rooted in the Flemish landscape tradition of Patinier, Herry met den Bles and Pieter Bruegel. Furthermore, the early work by Hans Bol should be mentioned as an significant source for Bril’s work. The prints made by Cornelis Cort after designs by                                                                                                                                              

Girolamo Muziano were another significant source of inspiration. The tree types, and also the relation of the small figures to the extensive landscape derive from Muziano. Typical of Bril’s paintings on copper are the strong local colors and the great attention to minute detail. The almost tangible rays of light, a feature often encountered in Bril’s early work, has been replaced later on by a more quiet and more crystal clear atmosphere.      

The present, colorful and well preserved, painting on copper shows Christ on the road to Emmaus. The subject of Christ on the road to Emmaus fascinated Paul Bril for many years.

A related work, also on copper , is in the Glasgow Art Gallery (fig. 1). The Glasgow rendition is also dated 1602 so we might assume that that picture and the present one were painted by Paul Bril simultaneously as there is no significant difference in terms of painterly quality.    

We would like to thank Drs. Luuk Pijl for kindly confirming the authenticity of this work and for writing this entry. The painting is sold with its certificate of authenticity.   

1.          Paul Bril, The Pilgrims to Emmaus, oil on copper, 1602, 47.8 x 58 cm, Glasgow Art Museum, no. 10