Artwork
Still Life with Flowers
Still Life with Flowers is an oil painting by Eelke Jelles Eelkema. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Stylistically, the work belongs to the Dutch floral still-life tradition, a genre with deep roots in the representation of cut flowers and arranged bouquets.
The work is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for nineteenth-century still-life painting. Its modest scale, 71.5 cm in height by 52.5 cm in width, is consistent with the intimate format typical of cabinet floral pieces. The composition is classified as a floral painting, depicting a bouquet, and is held in the Rijksmuseum collection under inventory number SK-A-3454.
Stylistically, the work belongs to the Dutch floral still-life tradition, a genre with deep roots in the representation of cut flowers and arranged bouquets. The dating to 1827 situates it within the early nineteenth-century continuation of this lineage, when painters revisited the conventions of earlier Dutch masters while adapting them to contemporary taste.
History & Provenance
Still Life with Flowers was produced by the Dutch artist Eelke Jelles Eelkema in 1827, executed in oil paint on canvas. The work was created as an independent painting rather than a documented commission, and no contemporary patron or original owner is recorded in the available sources.
The painting is now held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it is catalogued as SK-A-3454. It is also associated with the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Art Collection, indicating its recognized status within the national heritage holdings. No intermediate ownership history between its creation and its accession by the Rijksmuseum is detailed in the available records.
Still Life with Flowers is housed in the Rijksmuseum under inventory number SK-A-3454. The painting was created in 1827 and measures 71.5 cm by 52.5 cm. It has been part of the Rijksmuseum collection since its acquisition and has not been recorded in any major exhibition histories according to the available sources.
Context
Eelke Jelles Eelkema's 1827 oil painting Still Life with Flowers exemplifies Dutch floral still-life traditions of the early nineteenth century, as evidenced by its inclusion in the Rijksmuseum's collection and scholarly classification as a genre work. The painting's composition of a bouquet on canvas reflects contemporary botanical interests and the artist's engagement with Dutch Golden Age conventions, situating it within broader European still-life developments while maintaining distinct regional characteristics.
The work's provenance at the Rijksmuseum underscores its significance within Dutch cultural heritage, though specific critical reception history remains sparsely documented in available sources.
Overview
Still Life with Flowers is a 19th-century oil painting by Dutch artist Eelke Jelles Eelkema, created in 1827. It is a representative example of the artist's work, which often featured floral arrangements and fruit.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a vase filled with a diverse bouquet of flowers in various colors, including yellow, white, pink, and purple, arranged on a table against a dark background. The flowers are positioned to convey a sense of movement, with some facing forward and others backward.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Eelke Jelles Eelkema (8 July 1788 – 27 November 1839) was a Dutch painter of landscapes, flowers, and fruit.
