Vase of flowers
Ca. 1695. Oil on canvas.On display elsewhere
A small bird pauses to drink water in the lower right corner, while another is captured mid-flight as it approaches the flowers on the right. Two droplets of water appear to slowly slide down the vessel, while others rest delicately on the leaves and petals. Some flowers or stems have fallen from the bouquet and float, casting reflections on the water’s surface. The light source, coming from outside the frame on the left, creates a stark contrast between light and shadow. The vase, positioned off-center, enhances the prominence and dynamism of the birds in flight and the still water upon which the flowers rest.
Belvedere painted this floral arrangement during his stay in Madrid, between 1694 and 1700, when he worked for the court of Charles II. His still lifes present a duality: from the dark-background Baroque naturalism seen here to the lighter and more colorful Rococo style that followed. Works P000192, P000549, and P000500, also from Belvedere’s Madrid period, are housed in the museum.
