Artwork
Flowers in a Basket and a Vase
Flowers in a Basket and a Vase is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Jan Brueghel, the elder. It dates from 1615 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right: BRUEGHEL 1615
About this work
In 1615 Jan Brueghel the Elder signed a panel "BRUEGHEL 1615" in the lower right, setting a wicker basket of tulips, roses, and buttercups beside a Venetian glass vase on a ledge. The blooms come from different seasons, overflowing the basket as if freshly cut from a garden. It entered the National Gallery of Art in 1992, a gift of Mrs. Paul Mellon.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts an abundant floral still life, featuring a variety of cut flowers including roses, tulips, and carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus).
The painting depicts an abundant floral still life, featuring a variety of cut flowers including roses, tulips, and carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus). The blooms are arranged both in a basket and a vase, creating a dual composition that emphasizes the diversity and texture of each species. Painted in 1615, this work exemplifies Jan Brueghel the Elder’s specialization in floral paintings, which were highly sought after in the Flemish Baroque period for their meticulous realism and celebration of nature’s beauty. The depiction of costly tulips and other exotic flowers also reflects contemporary horticultural interests.
History & Provenance
Created by Jan Brueghel the Elder in 1615, this still-life painting on panel depicts a basket and a vase of flowers. Its recorded provenance begins with General Bruylandt of Brussels, from whose possession it passed to a sale at Galerie Paul Brandt in Amsterdam on 10 October 1967 (lot 6). The work was then acquired by Edward Speelman, Ltd., London, and was sold in January 1968 to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia.
In 1992 the Mellons gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. No commission or earlier creation history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Flowers in a Basket and a Vase is an oil on panel painting created by Jan Brueghel the Elder in 1615. This still life depicts an abundant arrangement of diverse blossoms, presented in both a wicker basket and a Venetian-style glass vase. The composition, measuring 55.2 by 89.1 centimeters, features flowers from various seasons, an intentional choice reflecting early seventeenth-century theological perspectives on divine creation. The work is currently housed at the National Gallery of Art.
Technique & Style
Brueghel employed a sophisticated range of oil painting techniques to render the floral arrangement. He varied his application of paint from rich impasto, creating tactile surfaces, to delicate, thin glazes that convey the subtle translucency of petals. The artist meticulously depicted the varied textures of the blossoms and the reflective quality of the glass vase.
A dark, unadorned background serves to isolate and enhance the vibrant colors and intricate details of the botanical forms.
Context
Jan Brueghel the Elder played a significant role in the development of independent flower still life painting in Flanders. He was known for his dedication to botanical accuracy, often traveling to observe and sketch rare and exotic species. While he incorporated elements studied from life, his compositions, like this one, frequently transcended naturalistic representation to convey deeper symbolic or theological meanings, establishing a new genre that celebrated both artifice and devotion.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Brueghel the Elder ( BROY-gəl, US also BROO-gəl; Dutch:; 1568 – 13 January 1625) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman.
Studied in the Dutch Golden Age course