Lot 2052 Dα

The brothers Jean and Jean Gilles Delcour were among the most well-known Wallonian artists of the 17th century, especially in Liège, where their artistic legacy is still felt today. Both artists travelled to Rome to study. Jean, the sculptor, became a pupil of Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Jean Gilles, the painter, studied under Andrea Sacchi and Carlo Maratti. The Roman style left its mark on Jean Gilles' painting, as evidenced in this elegant depiction of an angel with Christ's crown of thorns. According to a label on the back of the work, the painting was owned by the cultural scholar Edouard Brahy Prost (1847-1914) in the late 19th and early 20th century. Prost was one of the most important personalities in the art world of Liège and an author of art historical compendia.