Still Life of Fruit and Flowers

Balthasar van der Ast (1593/94–1657), oil on panel, 1620–1621

This still life invites close examination of all the details and elicits marvel at the richness of God’s creation: the colourful flowers, the exotic shells, but certainly also the beautiful insects. At the same time, decay is spreading. Fruit shows the first rotten spots, leaves are eaten away by caterpillars and snails and ants drag a dead fly. The painting is thus also about impermanence.

Artwork typepainting
Object numberSK-A-2152
Dimensionsheight 39.2 cm x width 69.8 cm
Physical characteristicsolieverf op paneel

Identification

Title(s)
- Still Life of Fruit and Flowers
- Still Life with Fruits and Flowers
Object type
Object number
SK-A-2152
Inscriptions / marks
- signature and date, lower left: ‘.B. vander. Ast. / 1620’
- signature and date, lower right: ‘B. vander.Ast. fe. / 1621’
Description
This still life invites close examination of all the details and elicits marvel at the richness of God’s creation: the colourful flowers, the exotic shells, but certainly also the beautiful insects. At the same time, decay is spreading. Fruit shows the first rotten spots, leaves are eaten away by caterpillars and snails and ants drag a dead fly. The painting is thus also about impermanence.
Part of catalogue
Catalogue reference
'Galerij stillevens', Oog 3 (2009) nr. 2, p. 26-37, afb. p. 28-29.

Creation

Creation
painter: Balthasar van der Ast (signed by artist)
Dating
1621
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Material and technique

Physcial description
olieverf op paneel
Material
Dimensions
height 39.2 cm x width 69.8 cm

This work is about

Subject

Acquisition and rights

Credit line
Purchased with the support of the Vereniging Rembrandt
Acquisition
purchase 1904-09-21
Ownership
Copyright
Public domain
Provenance
...; sale, A.H.H. van der Burgh (The Hague), Amsterdam (F. Muller), 21 September 1904, no. 51, fl. 1,046, to the museum, through the mediation of the Vereniging Rembrandt

Documentation

'Galerij stillevens', Oog 3 (2009) nr. 2, p. 26-37, afb. p. 28-29.

Persistent URL

To refer to this object, please use the following persistent URL:
https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200108147