Artwork
Vermählung der hl. Katharina
Vermählung der hl. Katharina is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Gaspar van den Hoecke. It dates from 1624 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1624 by the Flemish Baroque artist Gaspar van den Hoecke, this small devotional cabinet painting portrays a tranquil gathering of women and children set within a verdant landscape. The composition balances a calm, intimate atmosphere with a modestly dramatic use of light and shadow, characteristic of early 17th‑century religious works.
Subject & Meaning
The scene suggests a domestic, perhaps allegorical, moment linked to Saint Catherine, though the figures are presented without overt narrative symbols. The women’s serene expressions and the gentle handling of the children convey themes of piety, nurture, and spiritual harmony within a natural setting.
Technique & Style
Van den Hoecke employs chiaroscuro to model forms, creating depth through contrasts of illumination and darkness. The figures are rendered with soft, flowing drapery reminiscent of Frans Francken II, while the composition hints at lingering Mannerist tendencies alongside emerging Caravaggist and Rubensian influences.
History & Provenance
Trained under Juliaan Teniers and admitted to the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke in 1603, van den Hoecke produced this work during his mature period. The painting entered the collection of Munich’s Alte Pinakothek, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of Flemish Baroque art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gaspar van den Hoecke (c. 1585–after 1648) was a Flemish Baroque painter of small devotional cabinet pieces in the manner of Frans Francken II. His sons Robert and Jan van den Hoecke were also painters. Van den Hoecke,…
- The Rest on the Flight into Egypt
Die Auffindung Moses
Dorfbelustigung
The Holy Family with Saints
Der Parnass
The Holy Family with Saints
St George Liberating the Princess from the Dragon. Allegory
Mystic marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Landpartie
The Marriage of St Catharine
Flucht nach Ägypten (?)
Heimkehr aus Ägypten