Artwork
Flower Basket
Flower Basket is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Jan van den Hecke. It dates from 1653 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses strictly on a bouquet of flowers, adhering to the conventions of the floral painting genre.
Jan van den Hecke's 1653 oil painting presents a floral arrangement situated within a basket. The composition focuses strictly on a bouquet of flowers, adhering to the conventions of the floral painting genre. Historically, the work was part of the collection owned by Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, indicating its status as a curated example of still-life art during the mid-17th century.
The depiction emphasizes the naturalistic details of the blooms and their containment, serving as a representative piece of Flemish flower painting from this period.
Technique & Style
Created in 1653, Flower Basket is an oil painting executed on a panel support by Jan van den Hecke. The work belongs to the genre of floral painting, depicting a bouquet arranged within a basket. The composition measures 51.5 cm in height and 67 cm in width.
This formal arrangement of flowers and the specific medium of oil on panel are characteristic of the artist's approach to still life during this period.
History & Provenance
The painting Flower Basket was created in 1653 by Jan van den Hecke, who worked in oil paint on a panel measuring 51.5 cm in height and 67 cm in width. It entered the collection of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, who was a noted patron of the arts and commissioned or acquired numerous works from contemporary Flemish painters. The work has remained in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna since its acquisition, where it is catalogued as part of the museum's floral painting genre and retains its original attribution to van den Hecke.
The painting is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Its inventory number is GG_316, where it is recorded as Flower Basket by Jan van den Hecke, dated 1653.
The work has appeared in the museum’s holdings since at least the mid-seventeenth century, having been part of the collection formed by Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria.
Overview
Created in 1653, Flower Basket is an oil painting by the Flemish artist Jan van den Hecke the Elder. The work presents a loosely arranged bouquet of blossoms placed in a wicker container, set against an indistinct background that suggests a wall. Its palette combines pinks, whites, yellows, oranges and blues, conveying a lively yet restrained still‑life composition.
Context
The painting belongs to the broader Dutch Golden Age tradition of still‑life painting, a genre that celebrated everyday objects with heightened realism. Flemish artists like van den Hecke often blended influences from their training in Antwerp with experiences gathered in Italy, resulting in works that combine precise observation with a subtle theatricality.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan van den Hecke or Jan van den Hecke the Elder (1620–1684) was a Flemish Baroque painter, draughtsman, printmaker and engraver, mainly known for his still lifes, landscapes and battle scenes.
