Galerie De Jonckheere, 1988 ;

Chez Claude Vittet, Paris;

Acquis auprès de ce dernier par les parents des actuels propriétaires en 2005 ;

Collection particulière, France

In a park near a castle, which is visible in the background, an elegant party is picnicking - enjoying wine, delicacies and the music of a lute. The figures are wearing expensive, fashionable clothes with magnificent lace collars and accessories such as feathered hats and richly adorned women's headdresses. They have slipped away from the city to avoid prying eyes and are flirting casually. These genre scenes of richly dressed figures in interiors or gardens appeared in Flanders alongside the more popular peasant scenes. Their origins seem to lie in depictions of the story of the prodigal son, carelessly squandering his inheritance on sumptuous banquets.

Sebastian Vrancx has freed himself from any evangelical narration, retaining only this graceful assembly enjoying the feast that awaits them. Our composition was taken up by followers of the artist, as can be seen in a version preserved at Rosenborg Castle in Denmark, which is part of the Royal Danish Collection (no. 257640).

We would like to thank Joost Vander Auwera who kindly confirmed the attribution of this work in a letter of 13 June 2024. He dates the painting to around 1614.