Still life with a copy of De Waere Mercurius, a broadsheet with the news of Tromp's victory over three English ships on 28 June 1639, and a poem telling the story of Apelles and the cobbler

Leemans employs a restrained palette of earth tones and muted greens, punctuated by bright accents such as a half‑eaten lemon. The arrangement of objects—violin, bottle, cup, spoon, boots, hat, jug, and mug—creates a sense of abundance. Subtle chiaroscuro models the forms, using light to highlight textures while deep shadows give the scene depth and three‑dimensionality.

Painted in the mid‑1650s, the work entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings through acquisition in the early twentieth century, though earlier ownership records are sparse. Its survival in good condition allows contemporary viewers to examine Leemans’s handling of both painted and printed elements.

Dutch still‑life in the 1650s often incorporated symbolic objects and references to current affairs, reflecting a market‑driven society attentive to news and commerce. By embedding a broadsheet about a naval victory, Leemans aligns his genre scene with the broader cultural practice of documenting triumphs within domestic settings.