The present work, a luminous river landscape with trees, populated by wood gatherers, was last sold almost 40 years ago as a work by Alexander Keirincx, an Antwerp landscape painter of the first half of the 17th century. However, it is without a doubt a characteristic work by Gijsbrecht Leytens, a contemporary of Keirincx, as it is very close both stylistically and compositionally to a number of known works by the artist. [1]

Until recently, Leytens was only known as the 'Master of the Winter Landscapes'. The art historian P.F.J.J. Reelick was the first tentatively to identify Leytens. [2] This was confirmed when a fully signed work was published by U. Härting in 1988. [3] Born in Antwerp in 1586, Leytens entered the workshop of the Antwerp artist Jacques Vrolyck in 1598, at the age of twelve. By 1611, he was a member of the Antwerp Guild of St Luke, and by 1617, Leytens had a number of assistants working for him. He taught several pupils, including François van der Veeken. Leytens was a member of the Olijftak (an Antwerp society of rhetorics), as well as a captain in the Antwerp civil guard.

According to 17th century inventories of collections in Antwerp, Leytens collaborated with artists such as Frans Francken II, Sebastiaen Vrancx and Vincent Malo, who painted the figures in several of his compositions. Leytens painted mainly landscapes although six marine paintings (now all lost) are recorded as by him in the inventories. It used to be thought that Leytens only painted winter landscapes (hence his moniker), but now it is known that he also painted a number of forest and river landscapes. Some, such as the present work, have in the meantime been assigned to him, while others undoubtedly still linger in museums and private collections under a different name. 

END NOTES

[1] See, for example, the river landscape sold at Sotheby's, London, 18 October 1995, lot 41.

[2] P.F.J.J. Reelick, 'Bijdrage tot Identificatie van den Meester der Winterlandschappen (G. Leytens?)', in: Oud Holland, 1942, LIX, pp. 74-9.

[3] U. Härting, 'Der Meister der Winterlandschaften, der Maler Gysbrecht Leytens', in: Die Kunst, 1988, I, p. 27.