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A Walk Outside the Walls, 1854

  • oil paint, panel
  • 70.4 x 106.6 cm
  • Inv. 1998-D

Public Domain

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Henry Leys’ first paintings were historical scenes similar to those by Gustaaf Wappers. However, this ‘dramatic realism’ did not really appeal to him. Following a trip through Germany he was inspired by the styles of Dürer, Holbein and Cranach. From then on his subjects were based on the atmosphere of sixteenth-century middle-class society and on literature. Walk Outside the Walls illustrates a scene from Goethe’s Faust. However, the scene is not set in Nürenberg but on the ramparts of Antwerp. Despite the static composition we can feel the psychological tension in the scene depicted here. This painting helped to establish Leys’ international reputation. The public admired the way he brought the past to life through the precise depiction of architecture and costumes, and the realistic and romantic elements in his portrayal of reality.

Artist

Henri Leys RKD VIAF Wikidata
Antwerp 1815 - Antwerp 1869
painters (artists)AAT

Title A Walk Outside the Walls
Date 1854
Period 19th century
Signatures, inscriptions, and markings signature and year bottom right on a stone: HLeys f. 1854
Collection paintings AAT
Object type oil paintings (visual works) AAT
Inventory number 1998-D
Acquisition credit long-term loan
Koninklijke Verzameling
Brussels
1998
Current whereabouts Work on display
Permalink https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1998-D
IIIF Manifest https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/4137/manifest.json
Art & Architecture Thesaurus 300033898 history paintings AAT
Keywords Iconclass 22 natural phenomena Iconclass
22C light Iconclass
22C1 natural light Iconclass
22C11 rays of natural light Iconclass
23T27(16) modern division of historical epochs ~ centuries (16) Iconclass
24A2 sunset Iconclass
24A21 dusk, evening twilight Iconclass
25G11 groups of trees Iconclass
25G3 trees Iconclass
25I city-view, and landscape with man-made constructions Iconclass
25I1 city-view in general; 'veduta' Iconclass
25I12 prospect of city, town panorama, silhouette of city Iconclass
25I146 city-walls Iconclass
25I1461 city-gate Iconclass
25I15 monumental adornments (in city) Iconclass
26A clouds Iconclass
31A235 sitting figure Iconclass
31A71 male sex; man Iconclass
31A72 female sex; woman Iconclass
31AA235 sitting figure - AA - female human figure Iconclass
31D11221 boy (child between toddler and youth) Iconclass
31D11222 girl (child between toddler and youth) Iconclass
31D12 youth, young man, adolescent Iconclass
31D120 Youth, Adolescence, 'Iuventus'; 'Adolescenza', 'Gioventu' (Ripa) Iconclass
31D13 adolescent, young woman, maiden Iconclass
31D130 Maidenhood Iconclass
31D14 adult man Iconclass
31D15 adult woman Iconclass
41A1 civic architecture; edifices; dwellings Iconclass
41A11 palace Iconclass
41A111 hotel, i.e. small palace in city Iconclass
41A14 urban housing Iconclass
41A143 detached house in city Iconclass
41D2 clothes, costume Iconclass
42B parents with their children Iconclass
42B1 parental love Iconclass
42B741 father and child(ren), man and child(ren) (family group) Iconclass
42B742 mother and child(ren), woman and child(ren) (family group) Iconclass
43B13 walking, hiking (recreation) Iconclass
45K1 fortifications, military engineering Iconclass
45K14 fortified city Iconclass
61B2(VON GOETHE, Johann Wolfgang) historical person (VON GOETHE, Johann Wolfgang) Iconclass
83(GOETHE, Faust) (scenes from) specific works of literature: Goethe, Faust Iconclass
School / Style historicism (theory) AAT
Feast of Fools : Bruegel herontdekt = Bruegel rediscovered (tentoonstelling Gaasbeek, Kasteel van Gaasbeek, 07.04.2019 - 28.07.2019) / Hans Devisscher, Marieke Debeuckelaere, Leen Huet, Luc Vanackere, Peter Verhelst, Luk Lambrecht, Lieze Eneman. - Gaasbeek : Kasteel van Gaasbeek, 2019 ; Gent : Snoeck, 2019 (p. 49)
Uitbundig Verleden : de Bourgondiërs door Romantische ogen = Amour, guerre et beauté : des ducs de Bourgogne aux Habsbourg (tentoonstelling Mechelen, Museum Hof van Busleyden, 27.11.2021 - 27.02.2022 ; Bourg-en-Bresse, Monastère royal de Brou, 26.03 - 26.06.2022) / Magali Briat-Philippe, Pierre-Gilles Girault, Bart Stroobants, Eveline Deneer, Elodie Lecuppre-Desjardin, Jan Dirk Baetens. - Gent : Uitgeverij Snoeck, 2021 (p. 64-65)
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