Lot 54: Willem Reuter (Brussels 1642-1681 Rome) Figures harvesting grapes

Figures harvesting grapes with others drinking and making music
oil on canvas
57.3 x 72.3cm (22 9/16 x 28 7/16in).

Born in Brussels, Reuter arrived in Rome around 1672 and there spent most of the rest of his life. He followed the popular scenes of Michelangelo Cerquozzi, Jan Miel and Theodor Helmbreker in his choice of subject matter, but as Michael Sweerts's only known follower, he has been noted for standing apart from the other Bamboccianti in his more precise attention to nature. Particularly notable is the way he reflected his master's ability to convey a tranquil atmosphere by catching his figures in their daily occupations in sharply angled light.