Figures Outside the Monastery

Jan Frans van Bloemen (1662-1749) was a Flemish landscape painter mainly active in Rome. In Rome, he established himself as the leading painter of views (vedute) of the Roman countryside depicted in the aesthetic of the classical landscape tradition. After moving to Rome in 1684, the Flemish artist belonged to the circle known as the Bentvueghels, which brought together the Dutch and Flemish artists residing in the Eternal City. His comrades gave him the name Orizzonte because of his skill in creating misty atmospheric perspectives. Van Bloemen predominantly painted classical landscapes, taking his inspiration from the Roman Campagna. His landscapes, with their recession through a series of planes, soft, warm lighting and classical and religious subject matter, drew on the examples of artists such as Claude Lorrain and Gaspard Dughet. Van Bloemen's paintings are exquisitely imbued with that "difficult-to-define pastoral ambience" which helped to make him such a great painter in the eyes of his contemporaries. His vedute fall into the category that combine reality with imaginary elements. Van Bloemen was in particular known for his 'estate views' representing the estates of the nobility in the Roman Campagna. His views aim to associate the modern estate view with the classical Arcadian landscape. Rather than offering the wide panoramic views, distant horizon and atmospheric effects associated with topographical landscapes, van Bloemen's estate views emphasize minute observation of reality and a limited viewpoint. The estates are thus made to appear as immutable features of the local landscape. His compositions soon became highly appreciated by a distinguished Roman clientele.