By: Jan Weenix (1640-1719
Created: 1684-1704, Collection: Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands Rights: Public Domain
This family shows us what they love to do and where they love to be. Just try to do the same in your recreation and you will create a timeless portrait of family of our days.
In the foreground , a large garden , a group of husband , wife and two children , very posed , the gaze of the viewer . The man , in a long red robe , is doing with art , books and curios.
The woman is left of it , a drawing in hand . One of the children leave a bowl of fruit on the thighs of women support the second left sitting in the plane , has a bird in the hand . Between the two , as well as the far right , a dog .
Dark tree lot right behind the balustrade . In the background , on both sides of a gate, two rows of trees . The muted color gamut of the thinly painted scene is dominated by the brownish greens of the foliage .
Agnes Block (1629-1704) is portrayed with her second husband , the silk merchant Sybrand de Flines (1623-1697), and two kids . Since 1676 Block Agnes lived at her country house Vijverhof on the Vecht , which they had built . She managed to grow pineapples – here the far left – after this fruit was imported from Suriname in 1680 . They also bred birds and let it portray. In the background, an aviary and a greenhouse to see. The attributes on and around the table refer to the interest of the couple in art and natural history.