Pieter Claesz

#ArtSaturday Pieter Claesz, 1596 or 97 – 1661,
Dutch painter during the Dutch Golden Age pic.twitter.com/Mk1CAt1F2P

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Claesz became a member of the Painter's Guild in 1620.

Still Life with Musical Instruments, 1623 pic.twitter.com/RdXeTiZD5W

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Claesz painted in the school of Dutch Realism during the Protestant Reformation.

Still Life with Large Goblet, 1624 pic.twitter.com/N4HMBovcoK

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Claesz became famed for his "cluttered" and "crowded" breakfast pieces.

Breakfast Piece, 1625 pic.twitter.com/Js1SKs7nl4

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Like many Dutch artists who painted still lifes during this period, the foreground was displayed against a dark background.

Breakfast Still Life with Basket of Cheese, 1627 pic.twitter.com/lGKnwqwjkd

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Breakfast Pieces were common during Protestant Reformation Art: the objects on the table were supposed to illustrate the transience of earthly life so viewers would think of a Christian afterlife.

Still Life with Bread, Cheese, and Fish, 1627 pic.twitter.com/3k7rQ1cTPl

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Claesz was an early "pioneer" of table-top still life paintings.

Still Life with a Basket of Cheese, 1627 pic.twitter.com/WSOUuq1SPH

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz

Claesz's Still Life with Turkey Pie (1627) is considered one of his best works. pic.twitter.com/pRjl1BcTgg

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
In most of Claesz's paintings, the palette is rather monochromatic: he uses mostly browns, dark greens, black.

Still Life with a Burning Candle, 1627
(note reflection of candle and its holder in wine glass) pic.twitter.com/dnTjZsiasR

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
For Claesz, the expression of light and texture seemed more important than bright color palettes.

Still Life with Glass Ball and Violin, 1628
(Claesz, at his easel, is reflected in the glass ball.) pic.twitter.com/eQRPOnn9lP

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Still Life with Glass Ball and Violin, 1628 (detail of reflection of artist at his easel in the glass ball) pic.twitter.com/2T8ZVvifaJ

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Claesz occasionally painted the reflection of his image in glasses, goblets, wine bottles, coffee urns, etc.

Still Life with Lobster and Silverware, 1642
(image of Claesz at his easel is reflected on coffee urn.) pic.twitter.com/OMNQoz1wcz

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Early in his career, Claesz painted with brighter colors and more crowded table-tops in his still lifes.

Breakfast Piece, 1628 pic.twitter.com/PcliP6bCqn

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Between 1625-1640, Claesz's painted table-tops became less cluttered or crowded.

Breakfast Piece, 1628 pic.twitter.com/a8dpYGXKtI

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
In the mid period of his painting (1625-1640), Claesz limited the glasses and silverware pieces in the paintings, concentrating instead on detailing them.

Still Life with Lemons and Olives, 1629 pic.twitter.com/MeBracrvJ9

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Art during the Protestant Reformation Dutch Golden Age was supported by wealthy patrons, as opposed to being supported by the religious figures in the Catholic Church.

Still Life with Roemer (type of goblet), Lemons, and Olives, 1629 pic.twitter.com/ZfEpsyhkAn

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Art pieces during the Dutch Golden Age were commissioned and purchased by private individuals, who displayed the art in their own homes as symbols of their wealth.

Still Life with Pie and Lemons, 1630 pic.twitter.com/ESK3egsZx2

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Since the art pieces were commissioned, artists, including Claesz, had to pay attention to popular taste among the wealthy collectors and patrons.

Still Life with Roemer and Lemon, 1630 pic.twitter.com/974sGmBGLo

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
The wealthy art patrons of the Dutch Golden Age liked being reminded of their ability to set a good table (hence the rich food items like lobster, oysters, etc.), but they also liked their still lifes slightly less crowded.

Still Life with Oysters, 1633 pic.twitter.com/lX07e0LzOd

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Vanitas paintings, which reminded viewers of their own mortality, were also very popular during the Dutch Golden Age.

Still Life with Skull and Writing Quill, 1628 pic.twitter.com/gLGUT1Mzlo

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Some of Claesz's most famous and admired works are Vanitas paintings, such as Skull and Writing Quill, and Still Life with Skull and Watch, 1630.

(The watch is in the L-center forefront, opened, with the ribbon, to remind viewers of the transience of life.) pic.twitter.com/8CtgtdLtcC

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Each of the objects in the still lifes of this period had symbolic meaning; sometimes this meaning was specific to the Dutch Protestant Reformation with its emphasis on Calvinism.

Still Life with Goblet, Silver Tureen, Bread, and Lemon, 1637 pic.twitter.com/xW65cqsMT3

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
After 1640, Claesz began to once again include some brighter colors in his Still Lifes.

Breakfast Piece, 1640 pic.twitter.com/bUfMfplkGy

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Claesz's style and palette influenced many other Dutch Golden Age still life painters, including Jan Davidsz de Heem.

Breakfast Piece with Meat Pie, Roemer, Lemon, and Bread, 1640 pic.twitter.com/MuRAenMmsZ

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Claesz's son, Nicolaes Berchem, became a respected and successful landscape painter.

Still Life with Roemer, Crab, Bread, and Peeled Lemon, 1642 pic.twitter.com/zS2uPakGoV

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
In his later paintings, Claesz returned to the more "crowded" or "cluttered" table tops and had a brighter background than of the work in his middle period.

Still Life with Silverware and Lobster, 1642 pic.twitter.com/WGcD5mrYEh

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019

#ArtSaturday Claesz
Many of the Dutch Golden Age painters, including Vermeer & Claesz, were ignored or discounted in the 18th century: they were "rediscovered" in the mid-19th century & again given the respect they had in their lifetime.

Still Life with Fruit and Roemer, 1644 pic.twitter.com/RK244oDxRi

— Dr. Alexandria Szeman, Award-Winning #Author (@Alexandria_SZ) September 28, 2019