Who painted Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds?

Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds was painted by Jan van Os in 1774-01-01.

Where can I see Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds?

Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds?

Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds?

Museum-quality prints of Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds

Jan van Os , 1774

Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jan van Os. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work also includes birds as part of its depicted subjects, expanding the typical floral and produce elements found in the genre.

Jan van Os's 1774 oil painting presents a traditional still life composition featuring an arrangement of flowers and fruit. The work also includes birds as part of its depicted subjects, expanding the typical floral and produce elements found in the genre.

While the specific symbolic meaning or iconographic program intended by the artist is not detailed in the available records, the inclusion of birds alongside perishable items like cut flowers and ripe fruit often aligns with vanitas themes common in Dutch still life painting. These elements typically serve as reminders of the transience of life and the fleeting nature of earthly beauty and abundance.

Technique & Style

The work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, a medium and support documented for the painting. Its formal qualities are defined by a balanced composition of flowers, fruit, and birds rendered with precise brushwork typical of Dutch still‑life tradition. The handling is conventional, employing layered glazes to achieve depth and luminosity, while the condition is stable, showing no significant deterioration in the extant record. The stylistic approach emphasizes meticulous detail and a harmonious palette, reflecting the artist’s mastery of the genre.

History & Provenance

The painting was created in 1774 by Jan van Os as an oil on panel work measuring 89 cm by 72 cm. It entered the collection of Adriaan Leonard van Heteren Gevers and is now housed in the Rijksmuseum, having previously been held at Villa Welgelegen and the Kabinet van Heteren Gevers. The work was produced during the late 18th century in the Dutch Republic, reflecting the artist’s focus on meticulously rendered still life subjects. Its provenance is documented through successive ownership within the Van Heteren Gevers family before institutional acquisition.

Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Its provenance traces to Adriaan Leonard van Heteren Gevers, a former owner, and it has been associated with the Kabinet van Heteren Gevers and the Villa Welgelegen collections before entering the Rijksmuseum holdings. No specific exhibition history is documented in the available sources.

Overview

Jan van Os, a Dutch painter active in the late 18th century, completed the oil painting Still Life with Flowers, Fruit and Birds in 1774. Executed in the Rococo idiom, the work presents a densely arranged tableau of produce, blossoms and small birds set against a darkened surface. The piece is part of the Rijksmuseum’s permanent collection.