AST, Balthasar van der
(b. 1594, Middelburg, d. 1657, Delft)

Still-Life with Flowers, Fruit, and Shells

c. 1640
Oil on panel, 134 x 140 cm
Musée de la Chartreuse, Douai

Balthasar van der Ast learnt to paint from his brother-in-law, Ambrosius Bosschaert. He also specialized in flower still-lifes though he differed from his teacher in his preference for more complex compositions. In this still-life of 1618, he placed two bouquets against the splendid backdrop of Renaissance architecture, which was probably painted by Bartholomeus van Bassen. This strikingly asymmetrical painting is exceptionally large for a still-life, its nearly square format is a rare occurrence in 17th-century Dutch painting.




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