Artwork
Still Life with Books, Sheet Music, Violin, Celestial Globe and an Owl
Still Life with Books, Sheet Music, Violin, Celestial Globe and an Owl is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jacob van Campen. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created around 1650, this oil painting presents a carefully arranged still life that brings together scholarly and musical items.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1650, this oil painting presents a carefully arranged still life that brings together scholarly and musical items. A stack of books, sheet music, a violin, a celestial globe, and an owl are positioned on a shelf, inviting the viewer to contemplate a collection of knowledge and artistic practice. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The assortment of objects functions as a symbolic tableau: books and sheet music suggest learning and the arts; the globe points to scientific inquiry; the violin represents musical performance; the owl, traditionally a symbol of wisdom, crowns the arrangement. Together they evoke a quiet study space where intellectual and creative pursuits intersect.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting employs a muted, earth‑toned palette that emphasizes subtle gradations of light and shadow. Precise rendering of textures—leather‑bound volumes, the polished surface of the globe, the feathered owl—demonstrates a realistic approach typical of mid‑17th‑century Dutch still life. The composition balances detail with a restrained overall tone.
History & Provenance
Attributed to Jacob van Campen, a Dutch architect and painter active in the mid‑1600s, the work reflects his interest in classical themes and learned objects. It entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings in the 20th century, where it remains on display as an example of van Campen’s lesser‑known painting practice.
Artist & collection
