Artwork
Still life with fruit and wine glass
Still life with fruit and wine glass is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Jansz van de Velde. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
About this work
Overview
Jan Jansz van de Velde’s oil painting *Still Life with Fruit and Wine Glass* was executed in 1655. The composition presents a solitary wine glass surrounded by a modest assortment of fruit, notably a lemon and an orange, set upon a darkened tabletop. The objects are illuminated against a deep background, creating a focused, intimate scene that invites close observation.
Subject & Meaning
The work concentrates on everyday luxury: a clear glass vessel filled with wine and the bright citrus fruits that were symbols of wealth and hospitality in the Dutch Golden Age. The inclusion of a façon de Venise—a decorative Venetian glassware motif—adds a subtle reference to international trade and the taste for exotic goods among the merchant class.
Technique & Style
Van de Velde employs chiaroscuro, contrasting bright highlights on the glass and fruit with the surrounding gloom to model form and suggest volume. The careful rendering of light on the transparent wine glass demonstrates a sophisticated handling of oil paint, while the muted palette and restrained brushwork align the piece with the Dutch still‑life tradition of the mid‑17th century.
History & Provenance
Since its creation, the painting has been part of the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Its presence in a national institution reflects the work’s relevance to the study of Dutch still‑life painting and its role in representing the cross‑cultural exchange of material culture during the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Jansz van de Velde (1620–1662) was a Dutch artist, born in Haarlem.
Museum
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
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