Jan van de Venne

Van de Venne specialised in caricatures of so-called ‘low-life’ subjects, such as card-players, tooth-pullers and musicians, and in expressive religious scenes.

They have identified a range of influences on the work of van de Venne: his themes and style are reminiscent of his contemporary Adriaen Brouwer.

[4] Lucas van Leyden's engravings as well Adam Elsheimer's treatment of the effects of light and shade are also cited as possible influences.

For instance the Dutch Bambocciante painter Andries Both is believed to have derived his propensity for caricature-like distortions of the faces and poses of his figures from the compositions of van de Venne.

The squeaky misery of the characters he depicts often in profile and the virtuosity of the pasty effects come close to the early production of Georges de La Tour.

Flemish paintings dealing with the theme of the temptation of Saint Anthony are typically populated with witches and monstrous creatures that tempt him.

Van der Venne's versions of The Temptation of St Antony with different compositions are in museums in Dunkerque, Haarlem and Holbourne and one was sold at Auktionshaus im Kinsky on 28 November 2013 in Vienna (as lot 2).

The version sold at Auktionshaus im Kinsky shows St Anthony in a cave kneeling in front of a table with books.