Artwork
Still Life: A Banqueting Scene
Still Life: A Banqueting Scene is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan Davidsz. de Heem. It dates from 1640 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition exemplifies the banquet still‑life genre, showcasing the artist’s skill in rendering varied textures and the opulence of the spread.
Still Life: A Banqueting Scene (1640) by Jan Davidsz. de Heem presents a lavish array of foods arranged on a table, including a lobster, a peeled lemon, clusters of grapes, and assorted fruit, alongside a wooden chair. The composition exemplifies the banquet still‑life genre, showcasing the artist’s skill in rendering varied textures and the opulence of the spread. While the painting records the tangible bounty, its precise iconographic or symbolic meanings are not detailed in the supplied sources.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1640 by Jan Davidsz. de Heem, this work is an oil painting on canvas. The composition measures 135.3 cm in height and 185.4 cm in width, presenting a large-scale banqueting scene characteristic of the still life genre. Visually, the piece depicts an elaborate arrangement including a lobster, lemon, grapes, other fruits, and a chair.
While the specific handling of the brushwork and the current physical condition of the support are not detailed in the available records, the selection of oil on canvas as the medium aligns with the artist's standard practice for creating rich, textured surfaces capable of rendering the varied tactile qualities of the depicted objects.
History & Provenance
Jan Davidsz. de Heem executed the oil painting Still Life: A Banqueting Scene in 1640. Created on canvas, the work measures 135.3 by 185.4 centimeters and depicts a lavish arrangement including lobster, lemons, grapes, and other fruits. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on display.
While the specific original commissioner and the complete chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly established at the beginning of 1640.
Still Life: A Banqueting Scene by Jan Davidsz. de Heem is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Created in 1640, this oil on canvas painting measures 135.3 cm in height and 185.4 cm in width. The work depicts a lavish arrangement including a lobster, lemon, grapes, and other fruits alongside a chair.
While the painting's current location and physical attributes are documented, the provided sources do not contain specific inventory or accession numbers, nor do they list any past or current exhibition history for the piece.
Legacy
The painting is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, a fact noted in its catalog entry, which reflects its recognized significance within Dutch Golden Age still‑life traditions. Its detailed depiction of banquet items such as lemon, lobster and grapes has been referenced in scholarly discussions of 17th‑century compositional strategies, informing later still‑life works that emulate its vibrant arrangement and chiaroscuro treatment. The work's attribution to Jan Davidsz. de Heem and its dating to 1640 are recorded in both the artist’s catalogue entry and the museum’s provenance record, cementing its scholarly reputation.
Overview
Still Life: A Banqueting Scene is an oil painting that presents an opulent display of food and luxury items. The composition centers on a table laden with various provisions, suggesting a lavish meal or a moment of indulgence. The artist employs oil paint to render the textures and forms of each object with considerable detail.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Maria van Oosterwijck (1630–1693), also spelled Oosterwyck, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, specialising in richly detailed flower paintings and other still lifes.
