Artwork
Still Life with a Lobster
Still Life with a Lobster is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Davidsz. de Heem. It dates from 1669 and is held in the collection of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. Jan Davidsz.
About this work
Overview
Jan Davidsz. de Heem’s *Still Life with a Lobster* (1669) is an oil on canvas executed during the Dutch Golden Age. The composition gathers a lobster, fruit, a jug and a glass on a wooden platform, rendered with meticulous detail. The work belongs to the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, where it is displayed among other 17th‑century Dutch paintings.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre of the scene a bright red lobster rests on a sturdy box, surrounded by clusters of grapes, sliced lemons and additional fruit. A white ceramic jug and a clear glass complete the arrangement, suggesting a banquet‑like abundance. The juxtaposition of marine and terrestrial produce reflects contemporary interests in wealth, trade and the visual celebration of nature’s variety.
Technique & Style
The glossy shell of the lobster, the translucent skin of the grapes, and the reflective glass are differentiated through subtle shifts in light and shadow.
De Heem employs a luminous palette and precise chiaroscuro to model the surfaces of each object. The glossy shell of the lobster, the translucent skin of the grapes, and the reflective glass are differentiated through subtle shifts in light and shadow. Fine brushwork captures textures—from the rough wood grain to the smooth porcelain—creating a convincing three‑dimensional effect typical of Dutch still‑life realism.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1669, the canvas entered the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of Dutch Golden Age art. Its attribution to de Heem aligns with the artist’s reputation for elaborate banquet scenes, and the work has been documented in several catalogues of 17th‑century Netherlandish painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Maria van Oosterwijck (1630–1693), also spelled Oosterwyck, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, specialising in richly detailed flower paintings and other still lifes.
