MATHEUS VAN HELMONT (1623, Antwerp - 1679, Brussels). "The Antiquarian." Oil on canvas. Signed in the lower right corner. Relined. Measurements: 58 x 67.50 cm, 80 x 89 cm (frame). Mattheus van Helmont, was a Flemish painter specialized in genre scenes of interiors and village scenes. His style and subject matter were influenced by the work of David Teniers the Younger and Adriaen Brouwer. His favorite subjects were peasant festivals, wedding celebrations, drinkers and alchemists. He developed his own personal style towards the final phase of his career. He spent most of his active life in Antwerp, but later moved to Brussels. Mattheus first joined the Antwerp guild of St. Luke's as the son of a master and in 1645 became a full master of the guild. His paintings of market scenes and Italianate fairs suggest that he possibly visited Italy but there is no documentary evidence to corroborate such a trip. He joined the Brussels Guild of St. Luke in 1674. He had a large output but fell into debt, presumably due to his rebellious nature and frequent involvement in fights. This caused him to leave Antwerp and settle in Brussels in 1674. He was forced to leave many paintings to his creditors in Antwerp. He probably remained for the rest of his life in Brussels, where he died sometime in 1679. Mattheus van Helmont is known for his large output, usually signed or monogrammed, but rarely dated. His known works can be dated to the period between 1638 and 1670. He was a genre painter and specialized in painting interior scenes with peasants, alchemists and craftsmen at work, tavern interiors, village scenes, market scenes and kermises. He also painted some still lifes. He is reported to have painted singers, a genre popularized by David Teniers the Younger and depicting monkeys appearing in human attire and human surroundings. However, there are no firm attributions to van Helmont of works in this genre. He may have produced 'guard room scenes', that is, scenes depicting an interior scene with officers and soldiers enjoying themselves. However, the Guard Room with the Liberation of St. Peter (sold at Colnaghi Old Masters), previously attributed to him, has now been re-attributed to a follower of David Teniers the Younger. While most of his village scenes depict Flemish villages, he also painted scenes of Italian-looking towns and cities, such as the market scene in an imaginary Italian village. He is known to have contributed staff for the landscapes of Jacques d'Arthois. Relined.