Alexander Kierincx (Antwerp 1600-1652)

Kierincx, an accomplished landscapist, became a master in the Antwerp guild of St. Luke in 1619. Described by J. de Maere and M. Wabbes as a 'peripatetic artist' (Illustrated Dictionary of 17th Century Flemish Painters), he worked not only in Antwerp and Amsterdam, but also travelled to London, painting views of British castles and towns, some on commission from King Charles I. In some instances he collaborated with artists such as Cornelis van Poelenburgh, Frans Francken II and Sebastian Vrancx, who painted the staffage for some of his compositions. Noted for his meticulous technique, his style nevertheless became 'more baroque under the influence of Rubens' (J. de Maere and M. Wabbes, ibid.).