Artwork
Le Corps de Garde
Le Corps de Garde is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Abraham Teniers. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Technique & Style
This choice of metal panel contributes to the work's classification as a genre painting depicting a guardroom scene.
Abraham Teniers created Le Corps de Garde in 1640 using oil paint applied to a support of copper leaf. This choice of metal panel contributes to the work's classification as a genre painting depicting a guardroom scene. The composition features a variety of objects, including weapons, a saddle, banners, drums, and cuirasses, alongside figures such as soldiers and a black servant. The painting measures 49 cm in height and 68 cm in width.
History & Provenance
Abraham Teniers created the oil painting Le Corps de Garde in 1640. The work was executed on a support of copper leaf and depicts a genre scene featuring weapons, including a still life of a saddle, banner, drums, and cuirasses, with soldiers playing cards in the background. It is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is cataloged under the inventory number P001784.
Le Corps de Garde is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is cataloged under the inventory number P001784. The painting, executed in oil on copper leaf in 1640, depicts a genre scene featuring weapons and soldiers. The provided sources confirm its location and accession details but do not contain specific records regarding its exhibition history.
Context
The painting reflects the genre scene traditions of 17th-century Flemish art through its depiction of everyday military life and tavern interiors. It draws on established conventions of guardroom compositions that Teniers frequently explored, often incorporating symbolic elements like weapons and military equipment. The work demonstrates Teniers' skill in rendering intricate group interactions and detailed material textures within a cohesive narrative space.
Overview
Le Corps de Garde is a 1640 oil painting by Abraham Teniers, a Flemish artist known for genre scenes and engraving. It is part of the Museo del Prado's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a cluttered room with a drummer in dark attire, surrounded by old arms and a small dog. Outside, figures in period dress gather. The scene conveys a sense of everyday life, with attention to detail in the room's disarray and the loose flag.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Abraham Teniers (1 March 1629 – 26 September 1670) was a Flemish painter and engraver who specialized in genre paintings of villages, inns and monkey scenes.
