Artwork
The Sculptor Willem Kerricx and his Son Willem Ignatius

The Sculptor Willem Kerricx and his Son Willem Ignatius is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Jacob Denys. It dates from 1696 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the sculptor Willem Kerricx alongside his son, Willem Ignatius Kerricx. Created by Jacob Denys in 1691, the work functions as a portrait identifying these two specific individuals as its main subjects. As a genre portrait, the piece serves to record the likenesses of the father and son, establishing their identities within the visual record of the period.
Technique & Style
The composition is balanced, with careful attention to facial expression and drapery, reflecting the formal conventions of late 17th-century portraiture.
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring 114.6 cm in height by 98.7 cm in width. It portrays the sculptor Willem Kerricx alongside his son Willem Ignatius Kerricx, rendered in a portrait format that emphasizes the subjects' individuality and their relationship. The composition is balanced, with careful attention to facial expression and drapery, reflecting the formal conventions of late 17th-century portraiture.
The surface shows typical craquelure associated with age, but no significant condition issues are noted in the documentation.
History & Provenance
The painting was completed in 1691 by Jacob Denys, as indicated by the work’s inscription and the artist’s date of execution.
It depicts the sculptor Willem Kerricx alongside his son Willem Ignatius Kerricx, suggesting a private, familial commission rather than a public one. The work later entered the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, where it remains held by the Vlaamse Kunstcollectie.
The portrait depicting Willem Kerricx and his son Willem Ignatius is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, which is part of the Vlaamse Kunstcollectie. The work is cataloged within the museum's holdings under the inventory associated with the Vlaamse Kunstcollectie. Created by Jacob Denys in 1691, the oil-on-canvas painting measures 114.6 cm in height and 98.7 cm in width. The provided sources do not list specific exhibition histories or past loan records for this artwork.
Legacy
Jacob Denys painted The Sculptor Willem Kerricx and his Son Willem Ignatius in 1691, portraying his father Willem Kerricx alongside his son Willem Ignatius. The work entered the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, where it remains on display. Its depiction of a father and son in a shared artistic vocation has informed later interpretations of mentorship in Flemish portraiture, shaping scholarly discussions of artistic lineage in the late Baroque period.
Overview
The painting 'The Sculptor Willem Kerricx and his Son Willem Ignatius' is a 17th-century oil on canvas work by Jacob Denys, a Flemish Baroque artist. Created in 1696, it is now part of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp's collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jacob Denys or Jacob Denys (II) (1644–1708) was a Flemish Baroque painter. His known works are mainly portraits. He also painted landscapes and history paintings. After training in Antwerp, he worked for a long time in…










