Tag Archives: vanitas paintings

by Alexandria | 9 November 2019 · 9:48 am

Balthasar van der Ast

#ArtSaturday Balthasar van der Ast, 1593 or 1594-1657
Also known as Balthus or Baldus van der Ast
Dutch Golden Age painter of Still Lifes featuring flowers, insects, and shells

Tulip (also known as Dutch Tulip), 1620s pic.twitter.com/xQaN3R1jts

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Not much is known of van der Ast’s life is known.

Lizard and Shell, 1620s pic.twitter.com/vVaDpUhgTC

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast

Still Life with Plums, Cherries, and Shells, 1628 pic.twitter.com/yacstUq74p

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast

Dictamnus, 1620s
(photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art) pic.twitter.com/FsO6YBkBxD

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
It is not known when van der Ast’s mother died, but his father was a widower when he died.

Fruit with Shells and a Tulip, 1620 pic.twitter.com/9z5HzIdHqH

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Van der Ast was born into the family of prosperous wool merchants.

Fruit with Shells and a Tulip, detail (1620) pic.twitter.com/oxl6UkAUy6

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
After his father died, van der Ast moved in with his sister and her husband, the painter Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder.

Fruit with Shells and a Tulip, detail (1620) pic.twitter.com/0F3r2m5ivP

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast

Fruit with Shells and a Tulip, with two Details (1620) pic.twitter.com/oi5Swd7s49

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
His brother-in-law, Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, trained van der Ast to be a painter.

Still Life with Flowers, 1620-21 pic.twitter.com/iwtx1Wx7lX

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Both Bosschaert the Elder and van der Ast are known for their meticulous detail and precision of the flowers et al in their still lifes.

Still Life with Flowers and Fruit in a Basket, 1622
(photo: National Museum of Art, DC) pic.twitter.com/lILKk4MT4G

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
After Bosschaert the Elder died, van der Ast trained Bosschaert’s three sons to become painters.

Still Life with Basket of Fruit, 1622
(photo: National Gallery of Art, DC) pic.twitter.com/6Mbz4no3cl

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
All three of Bosschaert’s sons, trained by van der Ast, became successful painters as well.

Still Life with Bowl of Fruit, 1622-23 pic.twitter.com/DHiYIwv0Ag

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Van der Ast, along with his brother-in-law Bosschaert and van der Ast’s three nephews, are all together sometimes described as the “Bosschaert Dynasty.”

Still Life with Flowers and Shells, 1625-30 pic.twitter.com/VVXo9MvUhy

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Van der Ast painted during the Dutch Golden Age, when the Protestant Reformation rejected paintings of religious subjects, which the Catholic Church has patronized for centuries.

Still Life with Fruit and Flowers, 1628 pic.twitter.com/BArNvFGkcJ

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Protestant Reformation Art wanted paintings to be “moral” by emphasizing the mortality of its subjects and, by extension, the wealthy patrons and other viewers of the works.

Still Life with Basket of Flowers and Shells, 1630 pic.twitter.com/i8pMJ8Z33J

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Many Dutch Golden Age paintings included skulls to remind viewers and patrons of their mortality: the painters of flower still lifes used flowers to remind viewers that “all men must die.”

Still Life with Flowers, 1630
(photo: National Gallery, London) pic.twitter.com/dCyCB34MWQ

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast

Still Life with Flowers, Insects, and Shells, Detail (1630) pic.twitter.com/IsTOzhSrNg

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast

Still Life with Flowers, Insects, and Shells, Detail (1630) pic.twitter.com/vqaqUO4L0w

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast

Still Life with Flowers, Insects, and Shells, with two Details (1630) pic.twitter.com/g7Pq7aqWAC

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
The Dutch were extremely wealthy and respected during the Dutch Golden Age, prospering and excelling in trade, military, science, exploration, and the arts.

Still Life with Fruit in a Basket, 1632 pic.twitter.com/GlMEEdNs0Z

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
The Protestant Church no longer sponsored art during the Reformation, so newly rich Dutch patrons sponsored art, displaying the paintings privately, in their own homes, as a symbol of their wealth.

Still Life, with Flowers, Fruit, Shells, & Insects, 1632 pic.twitter.com/c2F04p0I4O

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Though the established Church no long sponsored art during the Protestant Reformation, there was still a great emphasis on “moral” art, hence the Vanitas (“all men must die”) paintings.

Still Life with Shells, 1640 pic.twitter.com/ui3rge2Iuq

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Flower Still Lifes were a sub-genre of Dutch Golden Age Still Lifes. Despite their being a sub-genre, quite a few painters supported themselves painting only still lifes.

Still Life with Flowers in a Vase, n.d. pic.twitter.com/a5jsupxeix

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Van der Ast was especially skilled in painting shells, and he has become famed for his detail in shells.

Still Life with Shells and Fruit, n.d. pic.twitter.com/uQY6yh2cI8

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Van der Ast’s paintings are known for their precision and for their symmetrical compositions.

Still Life with Fruit and Two Parrots, n.d. pic.twitter.com/pXP0cCHyAW

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Although some of van der Ast’s canvases are large, almost all of his work is more modest in scale.

Still Life with Flowers, Fruit, Insects, and Shells, n.d. pic.twitter.com/TaslkAiXUL

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Van der Ast lived in Utrecht until 1632 when he moved to Delft, where he became a member of the St. Luke’s Artist’s Guild in 1633.

Still Life with Fruit and Shells, n.d. pic.twitter.com/aExC6EInN2

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Van der Ast also married in 1633; he and his wife had two children.

Still Life with Flowers in a Vase, n.d. pic.twitter.com/eYLMFFnlvA

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast

Still Life with Flowers in a Vase, n.d. pic.twitter.com/gLEm5SdsT7

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast

Still Life with Flowers in a Wan Li Vase with Shells, n.d. pic.twitter.com/ykt2I4jyKd

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Van der Ast sometimes painted the fruit in his Still Lifes showing the beginning signs of decay.

Still Life with Fruit and Shells, n.d. pic.twitter.com/9zVNSVw9J1

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

#ArtSaturday van der Ast
Balthasar van der Ast died in 1657 and is buried in the Oude Kerk.

Still Life with Fruit in a Dish and Shells, n.d. pic.twitter.com/hABacfJhX3

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋 (@Alexandria_SZ) November 9, 2019

Willem Claeszoon Heda

#ArtSaturday Willem Claeszoon Heda, mostly shortened to Willem Claesz. Heda, 1593/1594 – 1680/1682
Dutch Golden Age painter famous for his still lifes pic.twitter.com/POl8TU8pbu

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda was born to an architect, whose brother was a painter. Not much else is known of Heda's early work, but it is surmised that he began painting by age 20.

Still Life with Roemer, 1630 pic.twitter.com/LUjDocfetw

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Breakfast Pieces, a sub-genre of Still Lifes in Dutch Golden Age painting, depicted tableware, glassware, & exotic foodstuffs only the wealthy could afford.

Still Life with Roemer, Silver Tazza, Watch, Walnuts, & Olives, 1630 (photo: Rijksmuseum) pic.twitter.com/Tull3ddhGd

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Breakfast Pieces were a form of Protestant Reformation Art, in which church leaders wanted to remind viewers to be good and moral without displaying the religious subjects favored by the Roman Catholic Church.

Still Life with Silver Tazza, 1631 pic.twitter.com/uhZjTe7c8l

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Breakfast Pieces were considered to be Vanitas ("remember, you must die") paintings, since the food objects were all subject to decay, as were the wealthy art patrons & viewers.

Breakfast Table with Blackberry Pie, 1631
photo: Google Art Project pic.twitter.com/8yCnvcRjUX

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Most of the paintings done during the Dutch Golden Age were commissioned by wealthy patrons, who displayed the paintings in their own homes.

Still Life with Roemer, Silver Tazza, and Gilded Tankard, 1634 pic.twitter.com/pGabeyvs1u

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Though the Breakfast Pieces were supposed to remind patrons & viewers that "life is short" & "everyone must die," the patrons probably liked the works more for showing how wealthy they were.

Still Life with Oyster, Roemer, and Silver Tazza, 1634 pic.twitter.com/xdUYUWiUXN

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda's Breakfast Pieces became famous for his unusual, "unbalanced" compositions of the paintings' objects.

Still Life with Roemer, Oysters, Silver Tazza, Lemon, and Broken Glass, 1634 pic.twitter.com/lhgCTTObDX

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda was also famous for his "monochromatic" paintings: his palette was rather dark with few bright colors, which was very popular during the Dutch Golden Age.

Still Life with Roemer, Silver Tazza, Lemon, Broken Glass, and Breakfast Pie, 1634 pic.twitter.com/TRY0kF3Xj5

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda is considered particularly skilled at displaying the intricate design of goblets, roemers, tazzas, silver plates, mother-of-pearl handled cutlery, etc.

Banquet Piece with Mince Pie, 1635
photo: Google Art Project pic.twitter.com/Lhw1nVPP1d

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda often used the same pieces, rearranged, in his paintings. The mother-of-pearl handled knife, for instance, as well as the silver tazza and the roemer, are in quite a few of his works.

Still Life with Gilt Cup, 1635
photo: Rijksmuseum pic.twitter.com/PQZQC4uR02

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda named most of his works "Still Life." Museums, and art critics/historians name the other items in the paintings to distinguish them from Heda's other works.

Still Life with Silver Tazza, Oysters, Lemon, and Glassware, 1635 pic.twitter.com/oLyKPHmjQo

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda's earlier Still Lifes were less crowded than his later ones.

Still Life with Ham and a Roll, 1635-1640 pic.twitter.com/lCeI8Us9BM

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda often portrayed some of the foodstuffs in his Breakfast Pieces after some of them had been consumed.

Still Life with Ham, 1635 pic.twitter.com/SjqfU5mgVV

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda frequently portrayed his glassware overturned or horizontally rather than vertically, which was considered quite unusual and "dramatic."

Still Life with Breakfast Pie and Silver and Pewter Vessels, 1634
photo: Google Art Project pic.twitter.com/kBYLXbvXJA

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Portraying some of the items horizontally rather than vertically allowed Heda to better display the intricate craftmanship of the objects (as well as his talent at painting details).

Still Life with Blackcurrant Pie and Nautilus Cup, c 1635-1640 pic.twitter.com/1vZdWNPZsO

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Some of the objects in Heda's paintings were so expensive, like lemons, that they were considered exotic.

Still Life with Silver Tazza, Nautilus Cup, Oysters, Lemon, and Porcelain Bowl, 1639 pic.twitter.com/oB4DGNlAvQ

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda's artistic skill was recognized early in his career by other Haarlem artists, poets, and art patrons/collectors.

Still LIfe with Roemer, Oysters, Soup, Lemon, and Bread, c 1640 pic.twitter.com/FVxxnJ9Dzw

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda often included elaborately folded or draped fabrics along with an assortment of expensive glassware with the exotic (i.e., quite expensive) food objects (like lemon).

Still Life with Gilt Tazza, Tobacco, and Peeled Lemon, c 1640 pic.twitter.com/PWuOhfRLFo

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
In the 1640s, Heda began to add more objects to his works and to modify his compositions.

Still Life with Broken Glass, 1642
photo: Rijksmuseum pic.twitter.com/OvI3CKRMlb

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda began to add more linen, such as napkins and tablecloths, usually crinkled or folded, to his paintings in the 1640s.

Still Life with Silver Pitcher and Breakfast Pie, 1645 pic.twitter.com/jAS9O9Ra9p

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
In the 1650s, Heda lightened his palette considerably.

Breakfast Table with Crab and Lemon, c 1650 pic.twitter.com/pqY1xLvCBw

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda lightened the background of his Breakfast Pieces in the 1650s, "illuminating" the objects on the table.

Still Life with Fruit Pie, Nuts, and Glassware, c 1650 pic.twitter.com/9fa10yta2Q

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda's painted reflections of the table objects in the silver and pewter vases, and his intricate portrayal of the light on the glassware is masterful.

Still Life with Breakfast Pie, Roemer, Tazza, Lemon, and Broken Glassware, c 1650 pic.twitter.com/OIi6wNJp6A

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Many of Heda's works feature a watch, complete with key for winding (on a silk ribbon) as Vanitas reminders.

Still Life with Roemer, Silver Goblet, Fish, Bread, Lemon, & Watch, 1650s
(note reflections of sunlit windows in the glass of the Roemer) pic.twitter.com/RSMItfnYnz

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda's masterful work is considered some of the best representations of Vanitas paintings, sub-genre Breakfast Pieces, during the period of Protestant Reformation Art & the Dutch Golden Age.

Still Life with Glassware, Silver, and Crab, 1640-1650 pic.twitter.com/CXYvqUshEn

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda's work, along with those of other masters of the Dutch Golden Age, was often ignored in the 1700s and early 1800s.

Still Life with Breakfast Pie, Watch, Roemer, Silver Tazza, and Olives in Porcelain Bowl, 1650s pic.twitter.com/dEYhNzcSaS

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Later artists, critics, and patrons rediscovered Heda (and the other great painters of the Dutch Golden Age, such as Vermeer, Ruysch, and Rembrandt).

Banquet Piece with Ham, 1656
photo: Google Art Project pic.twitter.com/soiOc79jbv

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

#ArtSaturday Willem Claesz. Heda
Heda is one of the most recognized masters of the Dutch Golden Age, and his works are in museums worldwide.

Banquet Piece with Silver Ewer, Crab, Nautilus Cup, Lemon, Nuts in Porcelain Bowl, and Bread, 1658 pic.twitter.com/JLtlTEVg5m

— Dr Alexandria Szeman: Award-Winning #Author 📚🖋🎃 (@Alexandria_SZ) October 19, 2019

2 Comments

Filed under #ArtSaturday, Art, Art History

Tagged as banquet pieces, breakfast pieces, dutch golden age painting, haarlem painters, protestant reformation art, still life sub-genre paintings, vanitas paintings, vanitas sub-genre paintings, willem claesz. heda, willem claeszoon heda

by Alexandria | 28 September 2019 · 8:26 am

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

Tag Archives: vanitas paintings

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Tag Archives: vanitas paintings

Balthasar van der Ast

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Willem Claeszoon Heda

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Pieter Claesz

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Dr. Alexandria Szeman

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