Artwork
Bouquet of Flowers in a Glass Vase
Bouquet of Flowers in a Glass Vase is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Ambrosius Bosschaert. It dates from 1621 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right in monogram: .AB.1621; across bottom in blue field: C'est l'Angelicq[ue] main du gra[n]d Peinctre de Flore / AMBROISE, renommé jusqu' au Rivage Moré. (This is the angelic hand of the great painter of Flora, Ambrosius, renowned even to the banks of the Moré).
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Such a high price reflects the prestige of the genre and the elevated status of its commissioner, a nobleman ennobled by the Holy Roman Emperor.
The painting depicts flowers, rendered as a still life in oil on copper. Within the broader tradition of Dutch flower painting, the work represents a _blompot_, a term used in the early seventeenth century for a flower still-life painting. The subject carries significance tied to its original patron: the bouquet was almost certainly made for Frederick van Schurman, the _bottelier_ (steward) of Prince Maurits, who commissioned the work and paid the extraordinary sum of 1,000 guilders for it.
Such a high price reflects the prestige of the genre and the elevated status of its commissioner, a nobleman ennobled by the Holy Roman Emperor. The image of flowers in a glass vase thus functions not only as a natural subject but also as a marker of refined taste and patronage, embodying the cultural value placed on meticulously observed floral arrangements in the Dutch Republic.
Technique & Style
Ambrosius Bosschaert's Bouquet of Flowers in a Glass Vase (1621) exemplifies the meticulous technique of early 17th-century Dutch flower painting. Executed in oil on a copper support (31.6 × 21.6 cm), the smooth, non-absorbent surface allowed Bosschaert to achieve fine detail and luminous glazes, enhancing the illusion of translucent petals and delicate textures. The medium's slow drying time enabled precise brushwork, evident in the intricate rendering of individual blooms and leaves.
Stylistically, the composition adheres to the conventions of blompot paintings, with an arrangement of flowers in a glass vase set against a dark, neutral background to emphasize their vibrant colors. The handling is characterized by a restrained naturalism, balancing botanical accuracy with decorative elegance.
History & Provenance
Ambrosius Bosschaert painted Bouquet of Flowers in a Glass Vase in 1621, likely while traveling from Breda to The Hague to deliver a flower still-life for Frederick van Schurman, a court official ennobled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Bosschaert received 1,000 guilders for the commission, a sum recorded by his daughter Maria. The work remained in the van Schurman family before entering the English market, being sold at Christie, Manson & Woods in London on 7 April 1922 (lot 54).
Subsequent owners included John Mitchell & Sons, a private English collector, and Edward Speelman Ltd., before the National Gallery of Art acquired it on 27 June 1996. The painting is executed in oil on copper and is catalogued in the National Gallery of Art's collection.
Painted in 1621, likely for Frederick van Schurman in The Hague, this work entered the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., on June 27, 1996. Prior to this acquisition, the painting passed through several private collections in England and the hands of dealers John Mitchell & Sons and Edward Speelman, Ltd., following its appearance at a Christie's auction in London on April 7, 1922. While specific inventory numbers are not detailed in the available records, the piece is firmly established within the National Gallery of Art's collection.
The provided sources do not list specific past public exhibitions, focusing instead on the chain of ownership from its probable creation for Prince Maurits's bottelier to its current institutional home.
Overview
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, a Flemish-born Dutch artist, completed Bouquet of Flowers in a Glass Vase in 1621. This oil on copper painting exemplifies the floral still life genre, a field in which Bosschaert was an early and influential practitioner. The work features a meticulously arranged assortment of blooms, characteristic of his detailed approach to depicting nature.
Context
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder was a pivotal figure in the development of floral still life painting during the Dutch Golden Age. Operating primarily from Middelburg, he significantly contributed to the city's reputation as a center for this specialized genre. His meticulous style and dedication to botanical accuracy helped define the aesthetic standards for flower painting in the Netherlands during this period.
Legacy
Bosschaert is recognized as one of the pioneering artists to dedicate his practice primarily to floral still lifes. His distinctive style, characterized by detailed botanical accuracy and balanced compositions, proved highly influential. He founded a family tradition, with his sons and sons-in-law continuing and disseminating his approach, thereby establishing a lasting legacy in the genre.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder (18 January 1573 – 1621) was a Flemish-born Dutch still life painter and art dealer.
