Artwork
Still life with parrot, an allegory of fire
Still life with parrot, an allegory of fire is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Adriaen van Utrecht. It dates from 1636 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
About this work
Overview
Adriaen van Utrecht, a Flemish painter active in the early‑mid‑17th century, completed the oil painting Still life with parrot, an allegory of fire in 1636. The work belongs to the Flemish Baroque tradition and is now part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a densely arranged table laden with vessels, fruit, and game, while a vivid red parrot perches on a stand. A figure in the background tends a fire, reinforcing the title’s suggestion that the bird functions as an emblem of flame.
Technique & Style
Van Utrecht employs a rich palette of warm reds, browns and golds, contrasted by the cool blue‑green glaze of Kraak porcelain. The meticulous rendering of reflective surfaces and the tactile quality of metal and ceramic exemplify the detailed naturalism typical of Flemish still‑life painters.
History & Provenance
Created in 1636, the painting reflects van Utrecht’s engagement with the abundant, decorative still‑life genre popularized by contemporaries such as Frans Snyders. It entered the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium’s holdings, where it remains on display.
Context
The inclusion of exotic items like Kraak porcelain and a brightly colored parrot signals the growing trade networks of the Dutch Golden Age, while the allegorical reference to fire aligns the work with moralizing themes common in Baroque art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen van Utrecht (Antwerp, 12 January 1599 – 1652) was a Flemish painter known mainly for his sumptuous banquet still lifes, game and fruit still lifes, fruit garlands, market and kitchen scenes and depictions of live poultry in…
Museum
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
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