Floral still life

1662

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 551

Trained as a goldsmith, Van Rijswijck was celebrated during his lifetime for his inlaywork of mother-of-pearl in ebony or black marble creating still-life pictures and several tabletops. The large-scale importation of tropical shells into Amsterdam during the seventeenth century prompted contemporary artists to specialize in the working of mother-of-pearl. Carefully choosing pieces that simulated the natural colors of his subjects, Van Rijswijck engraved certain features with a burin and darkened them with charcoal and wax. Like most flower paintings, his compositions were not entirely realistic in their portrayal of blooms that available during different seasons.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Floral still life
Artist: Dirck van Rijswijck (Cleves, Germany 1596–1679 Amsterdam)
Date: 1662
Culture: Dutch, Amsterdam
Medium: Black marble inlaid with engraved mother-of-pearl and breccia marble, ebony frame
Dimensions: Plaque: 6 1/4 × 3 7/8 in. (15.9 × 9.8 cm); Frame: 11 × 9 in. (27.9 × 22.9 cm)
Classification: Natural Substances
Credit Line: Purchase, The Howard Bayne and Rogers Funds, 1986
Object Number: 1986.21
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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