Considered one of the most important Dutch painters of the 17th century, Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder’s work was influential in the development of Dutch Golden Age painting.
Still Life with Flower by Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder is an iconic 17th century Dutch still life painting. The painting is oil on canvas and is currently housed in the Hallwyl Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
The painting depicts a bouquet of flowers in a urn, with a butterfly perched beside the vase and one in the floral display. It is a testament to the skill of Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, an important Dutch painter of the Baroque period. He is best known for his still life and flower paintings, which were revolutionary for the time.
STILL LIFE. Flowers in urn painted by the Dutch artist Ambrosíus Bosschaert (1573-1621). On the edge of the table is the artist’s signature AB and the year 1617. There are around fifty known and preserved works by him, most of them still lifes of flowers or fruit. He was a representative of the early flower painting when the bouquets were depicted symmetrically, containing a variety of flowers from different seasons; not infrequently very rare or valuable.
Hallwyl Museum
Born in Antwerp in 1573, Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder moved to Middelburg in the Netherlands in 1587, in response to religious persecution. He was a member of the Bosschaert family of painters, which included his three sons: Ambrosius the Younger, Johannes, and Abraham. His work was heavily influenced by the Flemish Baroque style of painting, which was popular in the Netherlands at the time. A member of the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke, Bosschaert’s works were highly sought after in his day.
Bosschaert played a significant role in the development of still life and flower paintings known for their bright colors and attention to detail. He was one of the first painters to use a monochromatic backgrounds in his paintings, which helped to make his still life paintings stand out.