Artwork
Still life with pottery, herring and pancakes, a print of an owl on the wall
Still life with pottery, herring and pancakes, a print of an owl on the wall is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hieronymous Francken II. It dates from 1607 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1607 by the Antwerp-based painter Hieronymus Francken II, this oil work belongs to the early‑17th‑century Flemish still‑life tradition. The composition presents a modest tabletop laden with food and household items, set against a darkened backdrop that emphasizes the materiality of each object.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre lies a sizable pancake with a rough, browned crust, accompanied by a chunk of wax‑coated cheese and a neatly stacked herring. Behind these, a clay jug and a metal pitcher add a sense of domestic abundance. A small printed image of an owl hangs on the wall, introducing a quiet, perhaps symbolic, element to the otherwise everyday scene.
Technique & Style
Francken employs chiaroscuro, using strong contrasts of light and shadow to model the forms and give depth to the table setting. The oil medium allows for detailed rendering of textures—the crisp surface of the pancake, the sheen of the cheese, and the metallic gleam of the pitcher—while the dark background unifies the composition.
History & Provenance
The painting forms part of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp’s collection, where it has been displayed as an example of the period’s still‑life genre. Its attribution to Hieronymus Francken II reflects the artist’s broader involvement in developing new Flemish subjects alongside his brother, Frans Francken II.
Context
During the Dutch Golden Age, Flemish artists expanded the still‑life genre to include everyday pantry items, reflecting both market prosperity and a growing interest in the visual study of material culture. Francken’s work exemplifies this shift, presenting ordinary fare with a careful, almost scientific observation.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Hieronymus Francken the Younger or Hieronymus II (Antwerp, 1578 – Antwerp, 1623) was a Flemish painter and one of the most prominent members of the large Francken family of artists.
