FRANS FRANCKEN II (Antwerp, 1581 - 1642). "Adoration of the Magi. Oil on copper. It has a 19th century Dutch frame. Measurements: 23,5 x 17,5 cm. This work represents the moment in which the three kings, accompanied by their entourage, present their gifts to the child Jesus. This one, in his mother's arms, seems to play with the incense that Gaspar, kneeling before him, presents him. The scene is set outside, with a reference to the manger on the right, transformed into classical architecture, defined by a semicircular arch and a column. The kings' robes, with richly coloured and richly embroidered cloaks, such as Balthasar's adornments of precious stones and jewels, show the luxury of this procession. The scene takes place almost in semi-darkness, as can be seen in the opening to the landscape in the last shot. However, the luminosity is clear and the focus is on the figure of the child Jesus, who radiates the light that falls on the rest of the figures. The grandeur of the work can be seen in the multitude of figures. It is a composition full of movement and dynamism, where each of the figures is studied individually and as a whole, showing different postures and planes. This mastery of the profusion of figures and the mastery of a complex composition are inherited from Frans Francken. The work is part of the Flemish Baroque style and its stylistic characteristics can be related to the circle of Frans Francken II. The most prolific of his family of painters, he trained with his father, Frans Francken I, and in 1605 joined the Painters' Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp, thus embarking on a career that lasted until 1640, during which time he specialised in cabinet painting. His contribution to this genre was of great importance and influenced artists such as Teniers. His style is based on that of Jan Brueghel de Velours, although it is also strongly influenced by his father and his uncle, Hieronimus Francken. His early works reveal debts to Mannerism and 16th-century painting, both in the structure of the compositions and in the rhythm and expression of the figures. They also include clear references to the work of Italian artists such as Raphael, Veronese and Zuccaro. Similarly, the use of prints by Dürer and Lucas of Leyden for some of the figures has been demonstrated. In addition to cabinet painting, Francken painted mythological and biblical subjects, some altarpieces and, in collaboration with other artists, painted figures in landscapes or interior scenes by Tobias Verhaecht, Joos de Momper II, Pieter Neefs and Paul Vredeman de Vries, among others. He is now represented in the world's leading art galleries, including the Prado Museum, the Louvre, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, the Kunshistorisches Museum in Vienna, the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg and the Royal Collection in London, among many others. Dimensions 23.5 x 17.5 cm.