Artwork
Blumen in Glasvase mit Entwicklung der Seidenraupe
Blumen in Glasvase mit Entwicklung der Seidenraupe is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Jan van Kessel the Elder. It dates from 1660 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1660, this oil painting by Jan van Kessel the Elder presents a glass vase brimming with an assortment of brightly colored blossoms set upon a darkened tabletop. The composition balances vivid petals—tulips, roses, daisies—in pink, red, white and purple tones against a muted backdrop, emphasizing the delicate texture of the flowers and the transparency of the glass.
Subject & Meaning
Beyond the floral display, the work incorporates motifs linked to the silkworm’s development, such as larvae and emerging butterflies, suggesting a contemplation of nature’s cycles. The juxtaposition of cultivated flowers with stages of an insect’s metamorphosis invites reflection on growth, transformation, and the fleeting beauty inherent in both plant and animal life.
Technique & Style
Van Kessel employs the meticulous brushwork characteristic of Flemish Baroque still lifes, rendering each petal and insect with fine detail and subtle chiaroscuro. The dark background heightens contrast, while the transparent vase is depicted with careful attention to light refraction, demonstrating the artist’s skill in rendering varied textures within a unified, harmonious space.
History & Provenance
The painting forms part of the Kunsthaus Zürich’s collection, acquired as a representative example of mid‑17th‑century Flemish still‑life painting. Jan van Kessel the Elder, active in Antwerp, produced works across several genres, drawing on the legacy of earlier masters such as Jan Brueghel the Elder and Daniel Seghers, and this piece reflects that lineage.
Context
During the Dutch and Flemish Golden Age, still‑life paintings often served both decorative and didactic purposes, illustrating abundance and moral themes. Van Kessel’s inclusion of silkworm imagery aligns with contemporary interests in natural history and the burgeoning scientific observation of insects, situating the work within broader intellectual currents of the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan van Kessel the Elder or Jan van Kessel (I) (baptized 5 April 1626, Antwerp – 17 April 1679, Antwerp) was a Flemish painter active in Antwerp in the mid-17th century.
