This beautiful late 17th-century Flemish still life depicts a sumptuous bouquet of flowers including roses, chrysanthemums and possibly a hydrangea or ‘snowball’ in a vase with putto decoration. It’s been suggested that the colourful pink and white flower in the lower right could be a rosa mundi.
Throughout history, there have been certain events which, when combined, have produced the ideal environment for genius to flourish. This was certainly the case for the flower painters working in the low countries during the 17th century. Firstly, due to the prosperous trade with the West and East Indies, a new merchant class of citizen became exceedingly wealthy. Secondly, as a largely Protestant republic, painters were unconstrained by the requirements of the church. And thirdly, interest in botany and horticulture had intensified following ever-evolving scientific developments, which included the increasing use of microscopes.
As such, the rising bourgeoisie sought to fill their homes with all manner of fineries - lavish textiles, precious ceramics, exotic foods, and exquisite flora. With artists commissioned to produce paintings that reflected this newly acquired opulence. Still life painting itself had occurred frequently in modest forms since the 15th century but this new type of patron placed a greater emphasis on decorative beauty.
To meet this need, numerous painters in the Northern and Spanish Netherlands, primarily Antwerp, Middelburg, Haarlem, Leiden and Utrecht, worked tirelessly to refine their technique. Each clamouring for the finest pigments to impress a potential client.
Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568-1625) produced some of the earliest flower paintings in this iconic style, along with his son Jan Brueghel the Younger (1601-1678). Often, imported flowers were so expensive that it was cheaper to commission a depiction of a vibrant bouquet. Paintings also provided the advantage of featuring a selection of flowers from different times of the year. Artists often reused sketches to produce an amalgam of decorous effects.
This piece from around 1690 is a fine example from the period with a particularly strong composition. It’s skilfully balanced - both in terms of its design and harmonious colour scheme. Chiaroscuro adds a sense of Baroque drama, while the flowers themselves are rendered with precision. It’s reminiscent of works by the Flemish painter Simon Hardimé (1672-1737) who trained under Jan Baptist de Crépu (before 1640-1689) - particularly with regard to the handling of the hydrangea and the tilting chrysanthemum. In other works, Hardimé also included a rosa mundi, similar to the one here.
The painting was previously in the Alice Schönfeld Collection, Basel, Switzerland.
Held within a later gilt frame.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 29” x 34½” / 74cm x 88cm
Year of creation: c. 1690
Labels & Inscriptions: Bears an old label on the reverse relating to Alice Schönfeld. A similar label was discovered on the reverse of a painting by John Constable.
Provenance: Alice Schönfeld (Seligson) Collection, Basel, Switzerland / Auction, Lucerne, Switzerland, (3,500-5,500 CHF) / Auction, Basel, Switzerland / Private collection, UK.
Condition: Assessed and approved by our conservator. Cleaned. Revarnished. Canvas relined. Fine and settled craquelure, as you would expect. The paint layer is stable. Later stretcher. Frame with light marks and signs of age.
Our reference: BRV1900
