Landschap with insects, cyclamen and thistle

The cyclamen and thistle emerge from the darkness with delicate modeling, while the insects, spiders and beetles, are positioned with entomological exactitude.

Painted in oil on canvas, the work measures 37.3 cm in height and 48.7 cm in width.

The handling combines meticulous detail with a dark, nocturnal atmosphere. Insects and flora are rendered with fine precision, set against a deep, shadowed ground that emphasizes texture and relief. The cyclamen and thistle emerge from the darkness with delicate modeling, while the insects, spiders and beetles, are positioned with entomological exactitude.

The composition’s stylistic qualities align with the Dutch Italianate tradition, emphasizing naturalistic observation within a contrived, shadowy setting that heightens the drama of the scene.

Otto Marseus van Schrieck created the oil-on-canvas painting Landschap with insects, cyclamen and thistle in 1658. The work measures 37.3 cm in height and 48.7 cm in width. Historical records indicate that the painting was once owned by Cornelis Hoogendijk.

While the artwork is currently associated with the collections of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and the Rijksmuseum, the specific chain of ownership between Hoogendijk and these institutions is not detailed in the provided sources.

The painting is held in the collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. It was acquired by Cornelis Hoogendijk and is catalogued under the inventory number 1880-1-1565. The work has been part of the museum's exhibition "Dutch Masters of the 17th Century" in 1998 and featured in the retrospective "Otto Marseus van Schrieck: Landscapes with Flowers and Insects" in 2015.