Artwork
Still Life with a Bird of Paradise and Other Things
Still Life with a Bird of Paradise and Other Things is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Brodero Matthisen. It dates from 1659 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Brodero Matthisen’s oil painting Still Life with a Bird of Paradise and Other Things dates from 1659 and is part of the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The work presents a darkened tabletop crowded with an assortment of objects, including a vividly coloured bird of paradise, a skull topped with an ornamental hat, an open book, a twisted vase bearing two faces, a small globe and scattered papers.
Subject & Meaning
The juxtaposition of a dead, exotic bird beside a skull dressed in a decorative hat creates a striking contrast between vitality and mortality.
The juxtaposition of a dead, exotic bird beside a skull dressed in a decorative hat creates a striking contrast between vitality and mortality. The open book beneath the skull suggests learning or intellect persisting beyond death, while the whimsical vase and the globe introduce elements of curiosity and worldly knowledge, inviting contemplation of the fleeting nature of life and the persistence of human curiosity.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting employs strong chiaroscuro, allowing the illuminated objects to emerge from a deep, shadowy background. Matthisen renders the bird’s plumage with vivid, saturated tones that stand out against the muted palette, while the textures of the skull, vellum pages, and glazed vase are modeled with careful attention to light and surface detail, characteristic of mid‑seventeenth‑century Northern European still‑life practice.
History & Provenance
Created in 1659, the work has remained in the public domain as part of Denmark’s national collection, currently displayed at the Statens Museum for Kunst. Its provenance traces back to the museum’s acquisition records, confirming its attribution to Matthisen and its continuous presence in the institution’s holdings since the early twentieth century.
Artist & collection
