Loading...
When describing the work of this prolific painter of still lifes, it is frequently said that Luis Meléndez included only commonplace objects in his canvases; this painting, in fact, offers the exception that proves the rule. Amid the various objects represented here are a porcelain cup and large saucer, or plate, which seem to be East Asian rather than Spanish. Indeed, they may be Cantonese
La muerte del infante Baltasar Carlos el 9 de octubre de 1646 frustró el enlace con su prima Mariana y dejó al país, que ya estaba sin reina -Isabel de Borbón había muerto el 6 de octubre de 1644-, sin heredero varón. Pese a su tristeza, la situación política obligaba al rey a casarse de nuevo y, a los ojos de Fernando III, Mariana seguía siendo la candidata perfecta. Sin embargo, sus apenas once
This work and its companion (P6413) belonged to Jean de Croy, Count of Solre and captain of the Flemish Royal Guard of Archers, of which Van der Hamen was a member. Unframed, the two paintings hung in De Croy’s Madrid palace, where they flanked the entrance to the painting gallery. As such, they may have served as a trompe l’oeil expansion of the real space, whose floor they probably reproduce. Th
The inclusion of insects in floral still lifes gave them a powerful sense of reality and lifelikeness. Here Brueghel also included a frog and an object that may be an egg or possibly a bezoar, a concretion found in the intestines of certain animals which was believed to have curative powers.
Resting on a stone base, an openwork wicker basket full of flowers is the subject of this painting. The flowers represent an enormous variety of species, enabling a notably rich range of colours and forms, even when the entire arrangement is structured symmetrically. Among the manifold varieties are lilies, tulips, hydrangeas, roses, anemones and carnations, some of which -like the tulips- would h
This artist was a fundamental referent for Spanish still lifes in general and flower paintings in particular. He was that specialty’s consummate master and its leading light at the height of the Siglo de Oro, producing a plethora of works of unquestionable quality in a field already filled with them. He was also the most important artist with this surname, including close relatives and others. His
The sitter, a leading figure in Parisian social circles, was the daughter of the Duke of Santoña (the origin of whose fortune came, above all, from the slave trade and real estate investments), from whom she inherited the title of Marchioness of Manzanedo. This small canvas is one of the few female portraits painted by Meissonier, who displays his skill in the almost-miniaturist rendering o
In each of these paintings (P596, P597), the central motif around which the entire composition is organised is a glass flower vase, the base of which rests on a stone surface. The flask-shaped vessel contains water. The specific varieties of flowers vary in the two works, but the similarities in the paintings´ dimensions and in the strategies adopted in the depiction of their subjects -toget
This set of paintings on the five senses was one of the most successful collaborations of Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel “the Elder”. Rubens placed his figures in the magnificent courtly scenes created by Brueghel as settings for these allegories of the senses, resulting in a series of enormous quality and esthetic appeal. The subject was widely employed in Flemish painting. Sight was consider
According to the Latin inscription on the back of this panel, which attributes it to Jan Gossaert, it was acquired by the magistrate of Louvain in 1588 from that city’s Augustinian monks. It was intended as a gift of thanks to Philip II for having waived the taxes and tariffs owed by the inhabitants of Louvain for twelve years after that city was decimated by the plague in 1578. Seeking to give th
These four paintings of flowers and sumptuary objects (P250, P251, P252 and P3239) are part of those sent from Rome to Madrid by Mario Nuzzi and other artists for the decoration of the Buen Retiro Palace. Nuzzi, also known as Mario dei Fiori, studied with his uncle Tommaso Salini, a follower of Caravaggio and one of the first still-life specialists active in Rome after the latter’s death. Nuzzi dr
This canvas and its companion, Taste, Hearing and Touch (P1404), represent the five senses embodied by female figures in palatial interiors. The sense of smell is conveyed by a woman holding flowers, while Sight contemplates herself in a mirror held by a cherub. They are located in a hall filled with paintings and sculptures, a sort of cabinet of paintings that could reflect an idealized represent
These four paintings of flowers and sumptuary objects (P250, P251, P252 and P3239) are part of those sent from Rome to Madrid by Mario Nuzzi and other artists for the decoration of the Buen Retiro Palace. Nuzzi, also known as Mario dei Fiori, studied with his uncle Tommaso Salini, a follower of Caravaggio and one of the first still-life specialists active in Rome after the latter’s death. Nuzzi dr
These four paintings of flowers and sumptuary objects (P250, P251, P252 and P3239) are part of those sent from Rome to Madrid by Mario Nuzzi and other artists for the decoration of the Buen Retiro Palace. Nuzzi, also known as Mario dei Fiori, studied with his uncle Tommaso Salini, a follower of Caravaggio and one of the first still-life specialists active in Rome after the latter’s death. Nuzzi dr
Jan van Kessel era nieto de Jan Brueghel el Viejo y sobrino de Jan Brueghel el Joven y de David Teniers II, de quienes fue discípulo. En esta obra aúna varios de los géneros pictóricos en que destacó. Representa una naturaleza muerta con flores en la que se integran pájaros y roedores, mientras que la composición se abre a la derecha para mostrar, en la lejanía, un paisaje dominado por un palacio
