Still Life with a Bouquet in the Making
Dirck de Bray
1674
This flower still-life is different from all the others, because the bouquet is not yet finished. The vase is only half full, and some of the flowers are still lying on the table. It is also unusual that all the flowers depicted are from the same season: anemones, tulips, narcissi and columbines all bloom in the springtime.
Dirck de Bray came from a Haarlem family of artists. Although he did not paint many works, this still-life shows that he was a very skilled painter.
oil on panel
40.5 x 35.7 cm.
Acquisition with the support of BankGiro Lottery, Rembrandt Association (thanks to its Stortenbekerfonds), a private benefactor, 2011