Dancing cherubs were a popular subject in Antwerp during the second half of the 16th century. Italian references and subjects corresponded with the interests and tastes of local patrons who had received a Humanist education. These compositions with putti by Flemish painters were actually inspired by an Italian Renaissance engraving of Marcantonio Raimondi from circa 1520, that refers to the art of Raphael.
Traditionally these Flemish paintings with dancing amoretti have been attributed to Cornelis van Cleve, to his workshop and to Antwerp painters from his circle.

 

 

Flemish painter

Antwerp 1520 - in or after 1570 Antwerp

 

He was the son and pupil of the famous painter Joos van Cleve (circa 1485 – 1540/41), with whom he collaborated. Joos specialised in portraits and in religious subjects, Cornelis also painted mythological works. Joos had been active in Bruges for some years, but spent the major part of his career in Antwerp.

 

The apparent influence of Italian artists, particularly of Andrea del Sarto, but also of Leonardo da Vinci and of Raphael, on Cornelis’s style suggests that he visited Italy in his youth, but there is no documentary evidence for this. 

Following the death of his father in the winter of 1540–41 he continued his studio.

Gradually the demand for his paintings seems to have faded. This must have been due to the fact that he was a Protestant. 

In 1555 he therefore emigrated to England where, according to the painter’s biographer Karel van Mander, he tried to establish himself as a portrait painter. He had hoped for the patronage of prince Philip II of Spain, who remained in England only during eighteen months (he was there for his marriage to Queen Mary I in July 1554). Philip II returned to the continent to fight some battles with France, became king of Spain in 1556, but lost Mary (already his second wife) two years later.

 

Cornelis van Cleve’s failure with this career move to England apparently drove him insane, hence his nickname, "mad Cleef" or "sotte Cleef". 

Cornelis van Cleve was brought back to Antwerp and put into the custody of his son-in-law but apparently never recovered.

 

 

Several similar compositions are known of dancing children, putti, cherubs or amoretti, painted by Flemish painters during the 2nd half of the 16th century. Most have been designed as “circle of Cornelis van Cleve”, some of these were in the past even attributed to Cornelis himself. Others have been called “circle of Otto van Veen” or “circle of Denys Calvaert”.  Clearly scholars were looking into Flemish Romanist circles: Flemish painters who had travelled to or worked in Rome and Italy. 

 

Two other names that appear with this particular composition are those of Raphael (1483 – 1520) and of his engraver Marcantonio Raimondi (1480 – 1534). There is indeed an engraving of dancing children known by Raimondi. This composition must indeed have triggered the idea for a round dance half a century later in Flanders. 

Raimondi’s engravings are very interesting because in many instances he did not restrain himself to simply copying a finished painting by Raphael. Instead he seems regularly to have based his engravings on early sketches and drafts of the High Renaissance master. 

 

Johann David Passavant (in his revision of the first modern comprehensive catalog of prints “Le Peintre-graveur” of Adam von Bartsch, 1860/64, vol. VI.27.167) mentioned a sketch by Raphael with a similar composition in the collection of Ploos van Amstel, Amsterdam, which is now apparently lost. 

 

Loosely based on the Raimondi engraving paintings were made during the second half of the 16th century in Flanders on oak panels, but also in Italy on canvas (see for example the two paintings from the Galleria Sabauda in Turin). 

 

 

Most of these similar Flemish paintings from the 2nd half of the 16th century with a round dance of children hold the same elements: a group of children dancing on a flower-strewn stage floor in front of two green curtains under a cherry-decorated lamp or crown. 

 

Other elements might vary: the number of dancers, the addition of other figures (two winged amoretti, musicians, figures laying down in the foreground), sometimes all figures are boys, sometimes there are a few girls wearing a gown.

 

 

Because this happy Flemish oil painting testifies of the passionate interests in Italian Renaissance art of their well-educated clients.