During the late 17th century and the first half of the 18th century there was in Flanders a revival of the elder style of landscape painting. 

Inspired by Jan Brueghel the Elder (Brussels 1568 – 1625 Antwerp) younger generations of Flemish painters respectfully painted very attractive landscapes with peasant scenes in fresh colours. Typical of all of them is a bucolic sense of happiness, of “joie de vivre”, with small figures in anecdotally detailed poses set against a backdrop of a pleasing landscape or of some buildings.

 

Best known are:

His son Jan Brueghel II (Antwerp 1601 – 1678 Antwerp)

Isaac van Oosten (Antwerp 1613 – 1661 Antwerp) 

Pieter Gysels (Antwerp 1621 – 1690 Antwerp), 

Adriaen Frans Boudewijns (Brussels 1644 – 1711 Brussels)

Peter Bout (Brussels 1658 or earlier – 1719 Brussels) 

Theobald Michau (Tournai 1676 – 1765 Antwerp)

Joseph van Bredael (Antwerp 1688 – 1739 Paris)

Carel Beschey (Antwerp 1706 – 1776? Antwerp?)

Balthasar Beschey (Antwerp 1708 – 1776 Antwerp). 

 

Our painter also belongs to this group of followers of Jan Brueghel I.

Sadly nothing is known about Baets, although a lot of his paintings are known and even a fair number of them are monogrammed “M.B”.

He was active in Antwerp in the first half of the 18th century.

 

Typical of Baets are:

- his use of the old fashioned Flemish three-colour-scheme: brown tonalities in the foreground, green in the middle distance and blue in the background;

- the high viewpoint and the high horizon;

- the ruined building with arches in the right or left foreground;

- the genre-like figure staffage;

- the romantic river landscape in the middle background.

 

 

Because it is a pleasant, decorative, colourful little landscape.