Artwork
Still life with flowers in a Wan-li vase
Still life with flowers in a Wan-li vase is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Ambrosius Bosschaert. It dates from 1619 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a bouquet of various flowers arranged in a Wan-li porcelain vase, a hallmark of Ambrosius Bosschaert’s floral still-life practice. As a still life, the work focuses on the careful rendering of botanical detail and the luxurious appearance of the imported vase, reflecting the artist’s interest in both natural beauty and contemporary luxury goods.
Technique & Style
The copper ground enabled the precise rendering of petals, leaves, and insects characteristic of Bosschaert's refined, symmetrical compositions.
Bosschaert executed this still life in oil paint on a copper support, a technique favored by Dutch flower painters of the period for its smooth, enamel-like surface that allowed for meticulous detail and luminous color. The small-scale panel, measuring 31 by 22.5 centimeters, is classified as a painting in the floral still-life genre, depicting a bouquet arranged in a Wan-li vase. The copper ground enabled the precise rendering of petals, leaves, and insects characteristic of Bosschaert's refined, symmetrical compositions.
The work is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Overview
Created in 1619 by Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, this copper painting presents a meticulously rendered bouquet set within a white and green Wan‑li porcelain vase. The composition showcases an array of blossoms in pink, yellow and white, interspersed with leafy stems, rendered with a high degree of naturalistic detail that invites close visual inspection.
History & Provenance
The piece is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection, where it has been displayed as a representative example of early 17th‑century Dutch still life. Its provenance traces back to the artist’s own workshop, reflecting the commercial networks of the period that linked Flemish origins with the burgeoning Dutch art market.
Context
Bosschaert is credited with pioneering floral still life as an autonomous genre in the Dutch Golden Age. His approach influenced a family of painters who continued his style, helping to establish Middelburg as a hub for flower painting in the Republic. The inclusion of a Chinese Wan‑li vase also signals the era’s growing interest in imported luxury goods.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder (18 January 1573 – 1621) was a Flemish-born Dutch still life painter and art dealer.
