Title

Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite

Author

Francken, Frans (II) [attributed to]

Antwerp, 1581 - Antwerp, 1642

Typology

School

Century

Dimensions

Technique

Support

Observations

The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite, painted by Frans Francken II, illustrates the mythological episode of the triumphant marriage of Neptune, god of the seas, and the nymph Amphitrite, daughter of the Ocean, taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses. The painting is part of a series of compositions that Francken II created on this theme. In addition to the present version, which is held in the Colección Santamarca in Madrid, other examples can be found in the Museo del Prado (inv. 1523), the museums of Gotha, Göteborg, Brunswick, the Uffizi in Florence, as well as in various private collections across Europe.

The Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite, in its current version, is an excellent example of the mythological genre beloved by 17th-century Flemish art. It embodies both the elegance of the Mannerist style and the ambition to depict gods and their adventures with great majesty and visual dynamism, while drawing inspiration from the ancient stories in Ovid and other classical sources. Although the technique is of evident quality, this work does not reach the same level of refinement as Francken II’s most assured pieces.

The restoration of the painting in 1983, which involved the removal of oxidized varnish and the repair of certain damaged areas, revealed details that were previously invisible, though it also uncovered older damage.

Bibliography

• W. Rincón García, e.a. (2017): Colección Santamarca : Esplendor barroco de Luca Giordano a Goya y la pintura romántica, Diputación Provincial de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, pp. 240-241, il. 89.
• (1984): Colección Santamarca: pinturas restauradas en 1983, Fundación Banco Exterior, Madrid, pp. 20-21, il. 1.

Locations

• Colección Santamarca, Madrid (Spain) (Inventory number: 24)