Artwork
Still life with berries
Still life with berries is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Floris van Schooten. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work is attributed to Floris van Schooten and is housed in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
The painting presents a modest arrangement of berries, a chalice, apple, olive and pretzel, arranged as a symbolic still life that alludes to transience and moral reflection. The inclusion of items such as an olive and pretzel may carry connotations of humility and the everyday, while the chalice hints at religious or ritual significance. Together these elements convey a contemplative meditation on abundance and the fleeting nature of material pleasures.
The work is attributed to Floris van Schooten and is housed in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
Technique & Style
Still life with berries is executed in oil paint on panel, a support and medium combination typical of Northern Netherlandish still life practice in the early seventeenth century. The composition is a still life depicting an arrangement of berries alongside other items including a chalice, an apple, olives, and a pretzel, suggesting a tightly grouped tabletop arrangement. The work is classified as a painting and attributed to Floris van Schooten.
The handling and stylistic qualities of the piece are not described in detail in the available sources, and no specific condition report is provided.
Legacy
The painting's inclusion in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium collection has contributed to its recognition within the still life genre, linking it to the broader legacy of Dutch Golden Age fruit arrangements. Its representation of assorted fruits alongside symbolic objects such as a chalice and pretzel reflects a tradition of layered meaning that influenced later artists exploring vanitas themes. The work is frequently referenced in studies of 17th-century banquet still lifes for its compositional balance and material detail.
Overview
Created circa 1628 by Dutch painter Floris van Schooten, this oil painting presents a modest still‑life arrangement on a darkened tabletop. The composition includes a reflective metal cup, a loaf of bread on a plate, assorted red berries, olives, a twisted pretzel, and two apples of contrasting hues. The work belongs to the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
History & Provenance
The painting emerged during the Dutch Golden Age, a period when still‑life subjects flourished as symbols of prosperity and moral reflection. It entered the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains part of the museum’s representation of seventeenth‑century Dutch art.
Context
Floris van Schooten was active in Haarlem, a hub for still‑life painters who emphasized realistic depiction of ordinary objects. His work aligns with contemporaries who explored the visual and symbolic potential of food, drink, and tableware, contributing to the broader development of genre painting in the Netherlands.
Artist & collection
Artist
Floris Gerritsz van Schooten or Floris van Schooten (between 1585 and 1588 – buried 14 November 1656) was a Dutch painter who practised in a broad range of still life genres including breakfast pieces, fruit pieces, market scenes and large…
Museum
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
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