Artwork
Stilleven met vruchten
Stilleven met vruchten is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist P.W. Windtraken. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created around 1700, this oil painting by P.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1700, this oil painting by P.W. Windtraken presents a still‑life composition that is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. The work measures a modest size and depicts a darkened tabletop laden with fruit, flowers and a silver platter, all rendered with a careful attention to light and texture.
Subject & Meaning
The arrangement centers on a heap of pears, apples and grapes spilling onto a silver dish, while a vase of yellow‑petaled blossoms and green foliage rises behind them. A loosely draped cloth hangs over the table’s edge, suggesting a casual yet deliberate gathering of natural abundance, a common theme in early‑modern Dutch still‑life.
Technique & Style
Windtraken employs strong chiaroscuro, using deep shadows to model the fruit and give them a tactile presence. Highlights catch the curved surfaces of the apples and pears, creating a subtle glow that contrasts with the muted background, while the reflective quality of the silver platter is suggested through delicate brushwork.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings as part of its early‑modern Dutch collection, though the exact acquisition date is not recorded in the available sources. Its attribution to Windtraken, a lesser‑known painter of the period, rests on stylistic analysis and archival references linking the work to the turn of the 18th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
A Dutch painter in the early 1700s, P.W. Windtraken made quiet, detailed oil paintings of everyday scenes. Look for the two works titled *A Winter Scene with Skaters* and *A View of the Dam Square in Amsterdam*—both…
