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The best representative of the classical period of Dutch still-life painting is Willem Kalf. He was born in Rotterdam, where he was probably influenced by François Rijckhals (after 1600-47), a Middelburg painter best known for his small peasant scenes which include displays of fruit and vegetables, and of impressive pronk still-lifes that include sumptuous gold and silver vessels. Kalf began by painting similar motifs: little pictures of kitchens and barns, as well as large still-lifes of metalwork, glass, and porcelain. As in the work of other pronk still-life painters, the same costly objects appear in his paintings more than once. Since he was a dealer in works of art as well as a painter he may have used objects in his stock as models.
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