Lively harbor scene, attributed to Marc BAETS circa 1700

Oil on panel of an oak board not parqueted representing a scene of animated port.

Attributed to Marc BAETS, circa 1700.

Height: 23 cm.
Width: 36 cm.

Modern frame.

At the end of the 17th century and in the first half of the 18th century, there was a revival of the old style of landscape painting in Flanders.
Inspired by Jan Brueghel the Elder, the younger generations of Flemish painters respectfully painted very attractive landscapes with freshly colored peasant scenes. All of them are characterized by a feeling of bucolic happiness, of "joie de vivre", with small figures in detailed and anecdotal poses against a background of pleasant landscape or buildings.

Our painter belongs to this group of followers of Jan Brueghel I, but unfortunately, we do not have much information about Baets' life, although we know many of his paintings and even a good number of them monogrammed "M.B.".
He was active in Antwerp in the first half of the 18th century.

The characteristic elements of Baets' style are :
- his use of the old Flemish trichromy: brown tones in the foreground, greens in the background and blues in the background;
- the high viewpoint and the high horizon;
- the ruined building with arches in the foreground on the right or left;
- the romantic river landscape in the background, elements that we can find in this painting and that lead us to this attribution.