(Antwerp 1581–1642)
Saint Veronica holding out her veil to Christ on the Road to Calvary,
oil on panel, 53.6 x 74.5 cm, framed

Provenance:
with Pfefferle, Munich, 1869 (according to a red wax seal on the reverse);
Martin Haller collection (1835–1925), Hamburg;
by descent to his daughter Helene O’Swald (1866–1949), Hamburg;
by descent to her daughter Ilse Fabarius (1896–1979), Hamburg;
Private collection, Hamburg, since circa the 1950’s

Literature:
U. Härting, Studien zur Kabinettbildmalerei des Frans Francken, ein repräsentativer Werkkatalog, Hildesheim, Zürich, New York 1983, no. 147;
U. Härting, Frans Francken der Jüngere. Die Gemälde mit kritischem Œuvrekatalog, Freren 1989, p. 286, no. 204, illustrated

Frans Francken II was primarily known for his densely populated paintings depicting religious, historical, mythological and allegorical scenes. He is the most famous representative of the Francken family of painters, who were mainly active in Antwerp between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries.

Born in Antwerp in 1581 to the painter Frans Francken I, his exceptional artistic talent was recognised from an early age, and encouraged both by his father and his uncle Hieronymus I. In 1605 he was awarded the title of ‘Master’. Like his forebears, Frans Francken II was accepted into the Guild of Saint Luke, which enabled him to sell his works and to teach. The artist enjoyed great renown, along with buoyant demand for commissions. He set up his own studio and many of his works were exhibited there.

He specialised in depicting figures - his exceptional talent was sought after by his fellow painters and was used to embellish pieces by artists such as Tobias Verhaecht, Abraham Govaerts, Alexander Keirincx, Joos de Momper the Younger and Peeter Neeffs. Some of the pictorial subjects he introduced were ground-breaking for Flemish painting, such as gallery paintings or the depiction of monkeys in genre scenes (so-called ‘singeries’). He passed his talent as a painter on to his son Frans III.

Today, his works are conserved in notable international collections and museums, such as the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Louvre in Paris and the Prado in Madrid.