Artwork
Still Life with Lobster and Fruit
Still Life with Lobster and Fruit is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Abraham van Beijeren. It dates from 1651 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Painted in 1651 by Abraham van Beijeren, this oil-on-panel work presents a lavish arrangement characteristic of the Dutch still life genre.
Painted in 1651 by Abraham van Beijeren, this oil-on-panel work presents a lavish arrangement characteristic of the Dutch still life genre. The composition features a prominent lobster alongside a variety of fruits, including a melon, grapes, a peach, and a lemon. A candlestick is also included within the tableau.
While the specific symbolic intent is not explicitly detailed in the available records, the selection of perishable luxury items like seafood and exotic fruits typically aligns with the period's tradition of depicting abundance and the transience of life. The inclusion of such rich, ephemeral goods serves to represent both material wealth and the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures.
Technique & Style
Abraham van Beijeren executed Still Life with Lobster and Fruit in 1651 using oil paint on a wooden panel support. The work measures 96.5 by 78.7 centimeters. Stylistically, the painting belongs to the still life genre, characterized by a lavish array of depicted objects.
Van Beijeren's formal arrangement features a prominent lobster alongside a candlestick and an abundant spread of fruit, specifically including a melon, grapes, peaches, and a lemon. This opulent composition reflects the sumptuous nature of Dutch seventeenth-century banquet pieces, employing the oil medium to capture varied textures and surfaces of the assembled elements.
History & Provenance
Abraham van Beijeren executed the oil painting Still Life with Lobster and Fruit in 1651. Created on a panel support, the work measures 96.5 by 78.7 centimeters. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains located.
While the specific commission details and earlier ownership history are not delineated in the available records, the work's inception is firmly established at the beginning of 1651. The painting depicts a complex arrangement including a lobster, candlestick, melon, grapes, peach, and lemon, characteristic of the still life genre associated with the artist during this period.
The work titled Still Life with Lobster and Fruit, painted by Abraham van Beijeren in 1651, is an oil on panel still‑life that belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The painting is listed in the museum’s catalogue as part of its holdings, though the specific accession or inventory number is not provided in the available documentation. The sources do not record any exhibition history for the piece, indicating that it has not been featured in publicly noted exhibitions up to the present.
Its dimensions are recorded as 96.5 cm by 78.7 cm, and it remains on view within the Met’s European paintings galleries.
Overview
This oil painting, titled Still Life with Lobster and Fruit, presents a rich arrangement of food and objects. Set against a deep, dark background, the vibrant hues of the depicted items are emphasized. The composition invites close observation of its various textures and forms, characteristic of the still life genre.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Abraham Hendriksz van Beijeren or Abraham van Beyeren (c. 1620, The Hague – March 1690, Overschie (Rotterdam)) was a Dutch Baroque painter of still lifes. Little recognized in his day and initially active as a marine…
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