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Abraham Willemsens or Abraham Willemsen (c. 1605-1610 - 1672), was a Flemish painter of history and
at the Netherlands Institute for Art History His genre scenes were reminiscent of the style of the Le Nain brothers. He also produced copies after the works of Rubens.
at Jan de Mare It is assumed that he operated a big workshop with a large output to supply the export market. As a result, a large number of his paintings can be found in Spain. He was recorded in the archives of the prominent Antwerp art dealer Guillam Forchondt in 1669 and also worked for the art dealer
at Christies He was active as an art dealer himself. He had two apprentices, respectively in the years 1651/52 and in 1654/55.Abraham Willemsens
at Jean Moust gallery He died in Antwerp.
Abraham Willemsens or Abraham Willemsen (c. 1605-1610 - 1672), was a Flemish painter of history and genre paintings
Genre painting (or petit genre), a form of genre art, depicts aspects of everyday life by portraying ordinary people engaged in common activities. One common definition of a genre scene is that it shows figures to whom no identity can be attached ...
.Abraham Willemsensat the Netherlands Institute for Art History His genre scenes were reminiscent of the style of the Le Nain brothers. He also produced copies after the works of Rubens.
Life
Details about his early life such as his birth date and place are unknown. In 1627-1628 he is recorded in theAntwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,
Guild of Saint Luke as a pupil of Gilliam Antonissens (also called Guillaume Anthoni), a French painter active in Antwerp. Willemsens married Maria de Lang. In 1645, he was elected dean of the Guild. He was recorded in Paris the same year.Abraham Willemsenat Jan de Mare It is assumed that he operated a big workshop with a large output to supply the export market. As a result, a large number of his paintings can be found in Spain. He was recorded in the archives of the prominent Antwerp art dealer Guillam Forchondt in 1669 and also worked for the art dealer
Matthijs Musson
Matthijs Musson (1593 in Antwerp – 3 November 1678) was a painter and art dealer based in Antwerp, who played an important role in popularizing artists of the 17th-century Antwerp school by marketing them throughout Europe.J. de Maere, Jennifer ...
.Abraham Willemsens (active 1627-1672), A peasant family in a yardat Christies He was active as an art dealer himself. He had two apprentices, respectively in the years 1651/52 and in 1654/55.Abraham Willemsens
at Jean Moust gallery He died in Antwerp.
Work
The painter was virtually unknown until the discovery in the early 1990s of a painting bearing his full signature. Since then his oeuvre has gradually been reconstituted. Numerous attribution issues had to be dealt with as Willemsens was not the only contemporary painter who used the monogram AW. The artistsArtus Wolffort
Artus Wolffort, Artus Wolffaert or Artus Wolffaerts (1581–1641) was a Flemish painter known mainly for his history paintings depicting religious and mythological scenes.Prado Museum has now been conclusively identified as Adriaen Willemhoudt. Because of the similarity in style there have also been misattributions of Willemsens' work to 
Willemsens has further been identified with the anonymous master previously referred to as the ''Master of the Béguins''. This notname was given to this anonymous master active in Paris in the mid 17th century because he often depicted beguines. The style of this master's works were grouped because of their subject matter and their closeness in style to that of the Le Nain brothers.. The identification of Willemsens with the ''Master of the Béguins'' has not been unanimously accepted in the art historical community.Didier Rykner, ''Le Mystère Le Nain''
La tribune de l'art, 21 April 2017
Willemsens is recorded in Paris around 1645 and this can explain the influence of the Le Nain brothers who were active in Paris at that time where they painted peasant scenes. Aside from the subject matter, another reason why Willemsens' work has often been misattributed to the Le Nains is that, like the Le Nains, he habitually used coarse linen as the canvas support.
In response to the contemporary demand for copies of Rubens' oil sketches, Willemsens produced a large number of copies of Rubens' work. Willemsens was together with
Willem van Herp
Willem van Herp (I) or Willem van Herp the Elder (variations on first name: 'Guilliam', 'Gilliam' and 'Guillaume') (c. 1614 in Antwerp – 1677) was a Flemish Baroque painter specializing in religious paintings and small cabinet paintings of "low ...
.
Willemsens has further been identified with the anonymous master previously referred to as the ''Master of the Béguins''. This notname was given to this anonymous master active in Paris in the mid 17th century because he often depicted beguines. The style of this master's works were grouped because of their subject matter and their closeness in style to that of the Le Nain brothers.. The identification of Willemsens with the ''Master of the Béguins'' has not been unanimously accepted in the art historical community.La tribune de l'art, 21 April 2017
Pieter van Lint
Pieter van Lint or Peter van Lint (1609–1690) was a Flemish painter, draughtsman and designer of tapestries. He excelled in history paintings, genre scenes and portraits in the Flemish Baroque style with some Classisizing influence. He work ...
and Willem van Herp
Willem van Herp (I) or Willem van Herp the Elder (variations on first name: 'Guilliam', 'Gilliam' and 'Guillaume') (c. 1614 in Antwerp – 1677) was a Flemish Baroque painter specializing in religious paintings and small cabinet paintings of "low ...
one of the principal producers of such copies for the Antwerp art dealers. In addition to copies after Rubens, Willemsens painted landscapes on copper, often animated with religious or genre scenes. His figures were derived primarily from paintings by Rubens, Hendrick van Balen and 