Artwork
Still life with ham and utensils
Still life with ham and utensils is a paint painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerret Willemsz. Heda. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin. Created in 1645, this oil painting presents a modest banquet scene rendered with meticulous care.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts specific objects including a large ham, a knife, a mustard pot, and a chalice, alongside stoneware vessels and bread.
Gerret Willemsz. Heda's 1645 painting presents a classic Dutch still life arrangement centered on a table covered with a cloth. The composition depicts specific objects including a large ham, a knife, a mustard pot, and a chalice, alongside stoneware vessels and bread.
These items are rendered with precise attention to their textures and material qualities, characteristic of the genre. The work focuses on the tangible presence of these domestic and dining elements, capturing a moment of abundance and the aftermath of a meal.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1645, this still life by Gerret Willemsz. Heda is realized in paint on a panel support. The composition displays a meticulous handling of light and texture, characteristic of the Dutch Golden Age, to render a variety of objects including a sliced ham, a stoneware jug, a silver chalice, and a mustard pot.
These items are arranged upon a draped tablecloth alongside bread and a knife, demonstrating the artist's focus on the tactile qualities of different materials. The work exemplifies the genre's emphasis on detailed realism and the interplay of reflective and matte surfaces.
History & Provenance
Still life with ham and utensils is a 1645 painting by Gerret Willemsz. Heda, held in the Gemäldegalerie Berlin collection. The available sources do not document a specific accession number, an earlier ownership chain, or an exhibition history for the work.
Overview
Created in 1645, this oil painting presents a modest banquet scene rendered with meticulous care. A partially consumed ham rests on a plate beside a loaf of bread, while a gleaming metal pitcher, a small cup, a knife and a dark glove complete the arrangement. A white cloth drapes part of the tabletop, and a subtle layer of dust suggests the passage of time.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gerret Willemsz. Heda (1620/25, in Haarlem – 1647/59, in Haarlem), was a Dutch Golden Age painter; known for fruit still lifes and vanitas paintings. He was the son and pupil of Willem Claesz. Heda, and influenced the…
