Artwork
A stoneware vase of flowers
A stoneware vase of flowers is an oil painting by Jan Brueghel, the elder. It dates from 1608 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum. Created in 1608, this oil painting by Jan Brueghel the Elder presents a still‑life arrangement of flowers set in a heavy stoneware vase.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The inclusion of these specific blossoms carries symbolic associations with purity, transience, and domestic virtue within the cultural context of the period.
The painting presents a bouquet of flowers arranged in a stoneware vase, featuring species such as iris, tulip, rose, and pendant forms, which are typical iconographic elements in early 17th-century floral still lifes. The inclusion of these specific blossoms carries symbolic associations with purity, transience, and domestic virtue within the cultural context of the period. Depicted around 1608, the work reflects Jan Brueghel the Elder's mastery of botanical detail and his contribution to the development of the genre within the Fitzwilliam Museum's collection.
Technique & Style
A stoneware vase of flowers is classified as a painting created in oil on panel in 1608. The work measures 60.3 cm in height and 42.2 cm in width and depicts a bouquet of irises, tulips, roses, pendant and ring flowers arranged within a vase. It bears the inscription "BRVEGHEL" and is part of the Fitzwilliam Museum collection, accessioned in 1975 from the bequest of Major the Hon. Henry Rogers Broughton, Second Lord Fairhaven.
The painting is documented as a floral work by Jan Brueghel the Elder, reflecting his characteristic botanical precision and vibrant coloration.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1607 or 1608, this oil painting on panel by Jan Brueghel the Elder bears the inscription "BRVEGHEL." While one record identifies the medium as stoneware, authoritative catalogues confirm the work is a floral painting executed in oil. The piece entered the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum in 1975, following its bequest by Major the Hon. Henry Rogers Broughton, Second Lord Fairhaven, who died in 1973. It was assigned the accession number PD.20-1975 upon receipt.
The painting titled A Stoneware Vase of Flowers is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. The work was acquired by the museum through the bequest of Major the Hon. Henry Rogers Broughton, Second Lord Fairhaven, who died in 1973, with the accession formally recorded in 1975 under the inventory number PD.20-1975. The painting is inscribed with the artist's name, BRVEGHEL, and measures 60.3 cm in height by 42.2 cm in width.
While the provided sources confirm its current location, accession details, and dimensions, they do not list any specific exhibition history for this work.
Overview
Created in 1608, this oil painting by Jan Brueghel the Elder presents a still‑life arrangement of flowers set in a heavy stoneware vase. The composition rests on a plain tabletop, the dark background intensifying the vivid reds, yellows and pinks of the blossoms, some of which show signs of wilting. The work is part of the Fitzwilliam Museum’s collection.
Context
Executed during a period when Flemish painters were advancing the still‑life genre, the painting reflects the era’s interest in naturalistic detail and symbolic content. Brueghel’s skill in portraying botanical subjects aligns with the broader Baroque fascination with abundance, scientific observation, and decorative elegance.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Brueghel the Elder ( BROY-gəl, US also BROO-gəl; Dutch:; 1568 – 13 January 1625) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman.
