18th-century Flemish Painter, Still Life With Flowers And Fruit

18th-century Flemish painter 

Still life with flowers and fruit, a cake, a precious goblet and cheese  

oil on canvas 73 x 98 cm. – with frame 98 x 129 cm.  

Provenance: Cambi, Genoa, 29 November 2011, lot 612, Estimate: €7,000–9,000 (link)  

Full details of the work (CLICK HERE)  

This still life depicts a rich and varied composition of objects typical of the Flemish Baroque tradition: the scene is a riot of abundance, with a sumptuous, partially cut savoury pie placed at the centre, an elegant knife resting beside it, inviting the viewer to join the feast, whilst in the background stands a majestic embossed and gilded goblet, a symbol of royalty and wealth.  

On the left, a glass vase overflows with a vibrant and lush bouquet of flowers, featuring roses, white blooms and tulips that create a striking chromatic contrast against the dark background and the warm tones of the centre.  

Every element is rendered with extraordinary realism: the crumbly texture of the cake’s crust, the sheen of the metal, the glossy, waxy surface of the lemons and apples, the porous texture of the large wedge of mature cheese, and the intricate shells of the walnuts scattered across the table.  

The theatrical lighting, emerging from the darkness, accentuates the depth and volume of the objects, creating an intimate yet grandiose atmosphere, emblematic of Flemish and Dutch mastery in this pictorial genre.  

It is a work that celebrates beauty, yet no object depicted is chosen at random; each carries a precise symbolic meaning, often linked to the theme of ‘Vanitas’ (the transience of life and earthly possessions): flowers represent ephemeral beauty par excellence, as does glass, whose transparency and delicacy directly allude to the fragility of existence. 

The precious goblet also alludes to material wealth and luxury that cannot be taken into the afterlife.  Food evokes the same concepts; in particular, fruits such as nuts or peeled fruit indicate the need to look beyond material appearance (the shell) to seek spiritual substance.  

A painting of almost identical composition entitled ‘Fruit, Cheese and Cake on a Table’ was sold at Christie’s Paris (auction 2 March 2011, lot 171, in the manner of JUAN VAN DER HAMEN) Link: https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-maniere-de-juan-van-der-hamen-fruits-5412278/   

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:  

The painting is sold complete with an attractive frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.  

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