Artwork
Breakfast
Breakfast is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Floris van Schooten. It dates from 1615 and is held in the collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum.
About this work
Overview
Breakfast is a 1615 oil painting by Floris van Schooten, a Dutch artist active during the early 17th century. It exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age still life tradition, characterized by meticulous depictions of everyday food items.
Subject & Meaning
The painting centers on a breakfast table setup, featuring a large piece of meat on a black plate, a smaller cheese plate, a stack of bread loaves, and scattered nuts. The composition conveys simplicity alongside abundance, highlighting the everyday luxury of food.
Technique & Style
Van Schooten utilized oil paint to achieve detailed renderings of the food items. The contrast between the white tablecloth and dark background emphasizes the subjects, showcasing the artist's use of chiaroscuro to create visual focus.
History & Provenance
Created in 1615, Breakfast is part of van Schooten's oeuvre of still life works, including breakfast and kitchen scenes. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum.
Context
Breakfast reflects the Dutch Golden Age's emphasis on still life painting, often symbolizing the era's prosperity and attention to domestic detail. Van Schooten's work contributed to this tradition with his characteristic attention to everyday subjects.
Artist & collection
Artist
Floris Gerritsz van Schooten or Floris van Schooten (between 1585 and 1588 – buried 14 November 1656) was a Dutch painter who practised in a broad range of still life genres including breakfast pieces, fruit pieces, market scenes and large…
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