Still Life with Books

Jan Lievens, c. 1628 - c. 1632

Appearances can be deceiving. What at first sight looks to be an overturned lute is just an old wooden case for the instrument. The books, too, are a disappointment; they are merely empty bindings, limp covers of leather or parchment meant to hold bills and other documents. These are all old objects – cast off, worthless and transitory.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-4090
  • Dimensionssupport: height 91 cm x width 120 cm
  • Physical characteristicsoil on panel

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • Still Life with Books
    • Vanitas Still Life

  • Object type

  • Object number

    SK-A-4090

  • Description

    Vanitas stilleven met boeken, een tinnen kan, berkenmeier, tinnen bord met broodje, luit en twee globes. Links aan de wand hangt een palet.

  • Part of catalogue

Creation

  • Creation

    painter: Jan Lievens

  • Dating

    c. 1628 - c. 1632

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    oil on panel

  • Dimensions

    support: height 91 cm x width 120 cm

This work is about

  • Subject

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    Purchased with the support of the Stichting tot Bevordering van de Belangen van het Rijksmuseum

  • Acquisition

    purchase 1963

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    ...; the dealer Basil Wheeler, London;{Note RMA.}...; the dealer Montpellier Galleries, London, as P. Potter, 28 April 1960;{Note RMA.}...; the dealer Han Jüngeling, The Hague (on loan to the Dordrechts Museum), 1960-63;{L.J. Bol, _5 Aanwinsten [van het] Dordrechts Museum: Bruiklenen en aankopen december 1960_, Dordrecht 1960, p. 14; L.J. Bol, _Nederlandse stillevens uit de 17de eeuw_, exh. cat. Dordrecht (Dordrechts Museum) 1962, p. 14; note RMA.} from whom, fl. 75,000, to the museum, as a gift from the Commissie voor Fotoverkoop, 1963

  • Remarks

    Please note that this provenance was formulated with a special focus on provenance research for the years 1933-45 and could therefore be incomplete. There may be more (mostly earlier) provenance information known in the museum. In case this item has an uncertain or incomplete provenance for the years 1933-45, the Rijksmuseum welcomes information and assistance in the investigation and clarification of the provenance of all works during that era.

Documentation

Persistent URL

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