Artwork
Company Making Music and Dancing on a Terrace
Company Making Music and Dancing on a Terrace is an oil painting by Ignatius van der Beken. It dates from 1739 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The setting emphasizes leisure and sociability among an affluent company, capturing the cultural practices of elite recreation in the eighteenth century.
The painting depicts a lively social scene in which a group of elegantly dressed figures plays instruments and dances on an outdoor terrace. A double bass and other musical instruments appear prominently, while several figures engage in dance. The setting emphasizes leisure and sociability among an affluent company, capturing the cultural practices of elite recreation in the eighteenth century.
The work likely represents the ideal of refined entertainment and conviviality, reflecting contemporary Dutch or Flemish cultural norms where music and dance served as markers of social status. The precise arrangement and attire of the figures underscore themes of harmony and cultivated amusement within a privileged circle.
Technique & Style
Ignatius van der Beken executed Company Making Music and Dancing on a Terrace in 1739 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 76 cm in height and 94 cm in width. As an oil painting, the medium allows for the detailed depiction of the scene's subjects, which include musicians, dancers, and instruments such as a double bass. The piece is classified as a painting and is currently held by the Statens Museum for Kunst.
History & Provenance
The painting Company Making Music and Dancing on a Terrace was created by Ignatius van der Beken in 1739. Executed in oil paint on canvas, the work measures 76 cm by 94 cm. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains located. No further details regarding specific commissions, prior ownership chains, or the circumstances of its creation are provided in the available records.
The painting Company Making Music and Dancing on a Terrace by Ignatius van der Beken is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The work, created in 1739, is executed in oil on canvas and measures 76 cm in height by 94 cm in width. While the source confirms the museum's location and the artwork's presence within its holdings, no specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available records. Additionally, the sources do not contain information regarding the work's exhibition history.
Overview
Ignatius van der Beken, a Flemish artist who worked for the court of Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, painted Company Making Music and Dancing on a Terrace in 1739. Executed in oil, the work captures an outdoor gathering of musicians and dancers, rendered with a light that suggests late‑day sunshine. The painting is part of the permanent collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ignatius van der Beken (11 December 1689, Antwerp - 7 June 1774, Antwerp), was a Flemish genre, portrait and still life painter. He was a court painter of Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine.
