Still Life with a Vase of Flowers

The floral still life emerged around 1600, reflecting the great interest of the period in botany. One of the pioneers was Bosschaert. His compositions, painted for royal cabinets of curiosities, represented idealised bouquets, bringing together plants from different seasons. Here, in a terracotta vase, we see illusionistically depicted blooms – both cultivated rarities and meadow flowers. The inse…