Artwork
Suptuous Still Life.
Suptuous Still Life. is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Abraham van Beijeren. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Mauritshuis. Created in 1655, this oil painting presents a lavish arrangement of fruit and assorted tableware.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1655, this oil painting presents a lavish arrangement of fruit and assorted tableware. The composition centers on a table laden with grapes, peaches, lemons, glass vessels, a bowl, and a flute, each rendered with careful attention to form and placement. The work exemplifies the Dutch Baroque fascination with material abundance and is currently part of the Mauritshuis collection.
Subject & Meaning
The tableau gathers a variety of fresh produce and fine objects, suggesting themes of prosperity and the fleeting nature of sensory pleasures. The juxtaposition of ripe fruit with delicate glassware invites contemplation of wealth, transience, and the sensory richness of everyday life, common concerns in 17th‑century Dutch still‑life painting.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the artist employs a restrained palette of browns, tans, and muted hues, allowing subtle tonal variations to model form. Fine brushwork captures the texture of skin, peel, and glass, while careful lighting produces a realistic sheen. Overlapping objects create depth, and the meticulous detailing reflects the period's emphasis on naturalistic representation.
History & Provenance
Originally painted by Abraham van Beijeren, a Dutch artist who transitioned from marine subjects to still‑life compositions, the work entered the Mauritshuis collection in the 20th century. Its provenance traces back to private Dutch owners before being acquired by the museum, where it has been displayed as part of the Dutch Golden Age holdings.
Context
The painting belongs to the Dutch Golden Age, a period when still‑life genre flourished as a means to display wealth and technical skill. Van Beijeren, noted for his sumptuous banquet scenes, contributed to this tradition by emphasizing luxurious objects and meticulous detail, aligning his work with contemporary tastes for opulent domestic interiors.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Abraham Hendriksz van Beijeren or Abraham van Beyeren (c. 1620, The Hague – March 1690, Overschie (Rotterdam)) was a Dutch Baroque painter of still lifes. Little recognized in his day and initially active as a marine…
Still Life with Lobster and Fruit
Still life with fruit, roast, silver- and glassware, porcelain and columbine cup on a dark tablecloth with white serviette
Silver Wine Jug, Ham, and Fruit
Snack (Still Life with Crab, Fruit and Clock)
Still life with flowers
Still life on a draped table with a sculpture of Venus in a niche behind a curtain
still-life
Still Life with Silver-gilt Bekerschroef with Roemer
