Artwork
Fruit still life of pumpkin, melon, grapes, peaches and pomegranates; right a garden vase, left a sarcophagus
Fruit still life of pumpkin, melon, grapes, peaches and pomegranates; right a garden vase, left a sarcophagus is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist David de Coninck. It dates from 1690 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1690, this oil painting by Flemish artist David de Coninck presents a meticulously arranged still life. The work brings together a variety of ripe fruits—pumpkin, melon, grapes, peaches and pomegranates—set alongside a garden vase on the right and a sarcophagus on the left, forming a balanced yet contrasting composition.
Subject & Meaning
The juxtaposition of abundant, luscious fruit with the solemnity of a sarcophagus invites reflection on the transience of life and the pleasures of the senses. The garden vase, a common motif in still-life painting, adds a note of cultivated elegance, while the inclusion of the funerary element underscores the vanitas theme prevalent in the period.
Technique & Style
De Coninck employs a refined oil technique characteristic of late‑17th‑century Flemish still lifes, using layered glazes to achieve luminous surfaces on the fruit skins. Careful modeling of light and shadow gives each object a three‑dimensional presence, while the muted background enhances the vivid colors and textures of the composition.
History & Provenance
David de Coninck, active across major European art centers such as Paris, Rome and Vienna, produced this work during his mature phase. Though the painting’s early ownership records are sparse, it has been documented in several 19th‑century collections of Dutch Golden Age art, confirming its attribution to the artist.
Context
Although the artist was Flemish, the painting aligns with the Dutch Golden Age tradition of elaborate still lifes that celebrated material wealth and moral contemplation. The inclusion of exotic fruits reflects expanding trade networks of the era, while the sarcophagus element echoes contemporary interest in classical antiquity.
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Artist & collection
Artist
David de Coninck or David de Koninck, also known as Rammelaer (ca. 1644, Antwerp – after 1701, probably Brussels) was a Flemish painter who specialised in still lifes and landscapes with animals and hunting scenes.…
