Artwork
Basket of Flowers
Basket of Flowers is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Balthasar van der Ast. It dates from 1622 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
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About this work
Technique & Style
As a floral still life, the painting demonstrates the artist's focus on detailed botanical arrangements within a contained vessel.
Created in 1622, Basket of Flowers is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel support. The work measures 17.8 cm in height and 23.5 cm in width. As a floral still life, the painting demonstrates the artist's focus on detailed botanical arrangements within a contained vessel.
The medium and support are consistent with the Dutch Golden Age tradition of small-scale panel paintings, allowing for the fine brushwork required to render individual flowers and textures. The piece is currently held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
History & Provenance
Created in 1622 by Balthasar van der Ast, the oil-on-panel painting Basket of Flowers was likely owned by Princess Amalia van Solms in The Hague by August 1632, based on a collection inventory. The work subsequently entered the art market through a series of auctions, appearing in sales in Amsterdam in 1802 and London in 1906, where it was associated with a private English collection possibly belonging to Mrs. Beaumont. By the early 20th century, it passed through Berlin galleries, including the Fritz Gerstel Gallery and a 1908 sale at Kunstsalon Keller & Reiner.
The painting was acquired by Dr. Hans Wetzlar of Amsterdam around 1938, remaining in his possession until a 1977 auction. Following a brief period with London dealer John Mitchell & Son, it was purchased in November 1977 by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, who eventually gifted the work to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1992.
Basket of Flowers is part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C. The work was acquired by the museum in 1992 as a gift, and its accession number is 1992.51.1. Its earlier ownership traced through several dealers and collectors, including Princess Amalia van Solms, various private owners, and several sales in the 19th and 20th centuries, before entering the Mellon family and finally being donated to the National Gallery. It is displayed in the museum's galleries.
Context
Basket of Flowers is an oil painting on panel dated 1622, measuring 17.8 cm in height and 23.5 cm in width, and it belongs to the still‑life genre with a focus on floral subjects. Its early ownership is documented in an 1632 inventory of Princess Amalia van Solms, after which the work passed through several sales and collectors before entering the National Gallery of Art in 1992. Scholarship on the piece emphasizes its attribution to Balthasar van der Ast and its illustration of early Dutch floral still‑life development, as reflected in provenance research and museum catalogues.
The painting thus serves as a representative example of 17th‑century Dutch genre painting within the broader context of European art history.
Overview
Basket of Flowers, painted around 1622 by Balthasar van der Ast, is an oil on panel still life. Van der Ast, active during the Dutch Golden Age, was born in Middelburg around 1593/94 and worked until his death in Delft in 1657. He was known for his specialized still life compositions, frequently depicting flowers, fruits, and shells, often incorporating small creatures like insects or lizards. This work exemplifies his characteristic approach to the genre.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a woven basket brimming with a vibrant assortment of flowers, including red roses, white daisies, and blue irises, which appear to spill forward from a dark background. Surrounding the basket, a collection of fruits, grapes, cherries, and an apple, rests on a flat surface. A single seashell, a snail, and scattered berries further populate the foreground, creating a rich display of natural elements.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Balthasar van der Ast (Middelburg, 1593/94 – Delft, 7 March 1657) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who specialized in still lifes of flowers and fruit, as well as painting a number of remarkable shell still lifes; he is…
