Still life — Auction
Balthasar van der Ast was a Dutch Golden Age painter who specialized in still lifes of flowers and fruit, as well as painting a number of remarkable shell still lifes; he is considered to be a pioneer in the genre of shell painting. His still lifes often contain insects and lizards.
Pieter Claesz was a Dutch Golden Age painter of still lifes.
He and Willem Claeszoon Heda, who also worked in Haarlem, were the most important exponents of the "ontbijt" or dinner piece. They painted with subdued, virtually monochromatic palettes, the subtle handling of light and texture being the prime means of expression. Claesz generally chose objects of a more hospitable kind than Heda, although his later work became more colourful and decorative. Claesz's still lifes often suggest allegorical purpose, with skulls serving as reminders of human mortality. The two men founded a distinguished tradition of still life painting in Haarlem. Pieter Claesz was influenced by the artist movement 'Vanitas'.
Pieter Claesz was a Dutch Golden Age painter of still lifes.
He and Willem Claeszoon Heda, who also worked in Haarlem, were the most important exponents of the "ontbijt" or dinner piece. They painted with subdued, virtually monochromatic palettes, the subtle handling of light and texture being the prime means of expression. Claesz generally chose objects of a more hospitable kind than Heda, although his later work became more colourful and decorative. Claesz's still lifes often suggest allegorical purpose, with skulls serving as reminders of human mortality. The two men founded a distinguished tradition of still life painting in Haarlem. Pieter Claesz was influenced by the artist movement 'Vanitas'.
Jan Fyt (March 15, 1611 – September 11, 1661) was a prominent Flemish painter and engraver of the Baroque period, celebrated for his refined still lifes and animal depictions. Born in Antwerp to a wealthy merchant family, Fyt began his artistic training in 1621 under Hans van den Bergh. He later apprenticed with Frans Snyders, a leading master of still life and animal paintings, working in his workshop until 1631. In 1630, Fyt became a master of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke.
Between 1633 and 1640, Fyt traveled extensively across Europe, visiting cities such as Paris, Rome, and Venice. In Rome, he joined the Bentvueghels, a society of Northern European artists, where he was nicknamed "Goudvink" (Bullfinch). During his time in Venice, he received commissions from noble families like the Sagredo and Contarini.
Upon returning to Antwerp in 1641, Fyt established his own workshop, producing numerous works that catered to the tastes of aristocratic patrons. His paintings are distinguished by their vibrant palettes, dynamic compositions, and meticulous rendering of textures, particularly the fur and feathers of animals. Contemporaries highly valued his hunting still lifes, as well as his portrayals of flowers and fruits.
On March 22, 1654, Fyt married Françoise van de Sande, with whom he had four children. In 1650, he joined the Antwerp "Sodaliteit der Bejaerde Jongmans" (Sodality of Elder Bachelors), a fraternity that required members to have visited Rome. By 1652, he was elected dean of this guild.
Fyt's artistic legacy comprises approximately 280 paintings, many of which are signed and dated. His works are housed in major museums worldwide, including the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, the Louvre in Paris, and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. In addition to painting, Fyt was an accomplished engraver, creating etchings that featured animals and birds.
Jan Fyt passed away on September 11, 1661, in his native Antwerp, leaving an indelible mark on Flemish painting and influencing subsequent generations of artists.
Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer was a Franco-Flemish painter who specialised in flower pieces. He was attached to the Gobelins tapestry workshops and the Beauvais tapestry workshops, too, where he produced cartoons of fruit and flowers for the tapestry-weavers, and at Beauvais was one of three painters who collaborated to produce cartoons for the suite The Emperor of China.
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Mario Nuzzi, nicknamed De Fiori, was an Italian painter of the Baroque period.
Nuzzi was a pupil of the artist Tommaso Salini and was one of the first Italians to specialize in still lifes with floral compositions. From Salini he mastered the style of Caravaggismo. Nuzzi always painted flowers in his paintings, for which he was nicknamed De Fiori - "florist", and in this genre he was an unrivaled master. Floral compositions the artist depicted not only in numerous still lifes, but also necessarily included them in genre scenes of religious and domestic character. He also painted the famous "Concert of Birds", which was then repeated by many artists.
Mario Nuzzi enjoyed the patronage of the highest nobility, he was ordered paintings cardinals and noble family Barberini. In 1657, the Academy of St. Lucia in Rome awarded him the title of Academician. Mario Nuzzi had many famous pupils and followers, and with his work Nuzzi had a great influence on Italian and Spanish genre painting of the XVII century.
Adriaen van Utrecht was a Flemish painter known mainly for his sumptuous banquet still lifes, game and fruit still lifes, fruit garlands, market and kitchen scenes and depictions of live poultry in farmyards. His paintings, especially the hunting and game pieces, show the influence of Frans Snyders. The two artists are considered the main inventors of the genre of the pronkstillevens, i.e. still lifes that emphasized abundance by depicting a diversity of objects, fruits, flowers and dead game, often together with living people and animals. Van Utrecht also painted a number of flower still lifes. He was a regular collaborator with leading Antwerp painters who had been pupils or assistants of Peter Paul Rubens, such as Jacob Jordaens, David Teniers the Younger, Erasmus Quellinus II, Gerard Seghers, Theodoor Rombouts, Abraham van Diepenbeeck and Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert.
