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Artwork

Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate

Pieter Claesz , 1624

Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate, by Pieter Claesz, oil, 1624
Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate, by Pieter Claesz, oil, 1624

Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter Claesz. It dates from 1624 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition invites the viewer to reflect on the passage of time and the inevitability of death through these mundane yet symbolically charged elements.

Pieter Claesz's 1624 painting depicts a carefully arranged collection of domestic objects, including a square ceramic bowl with a handle, a Gouda clay pipe, herring, oysters, a rummer (wine glass), and bread. These items are presented alongside smoking paraphernalia and a pewter plate, forming a classic vanitas or breakfast piece typical of the Dutch Golden Age. The inclusion of perishable foods like shellfish and bread, combined with the smoking pipe and extinguished or smoldering brazier, serves as a visual meditation on the transience of life and the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures.

The composition invites the viewer to reflect on the passage of time and the inevitability of death through these mundane yet symbolically charged elements.

Technique & Style

Pieter Claesz painted Still life with a brazier, a wine‑glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphernalia, and a pewter plate in 1624 using oil paint on a wooden panel. The work measures 40 cm in height and 52 cm in width and portrays a square ceramic bowl with a handle, a Gouda clay pipe, herring, an oyster, a rummer, bread, and a pewter plate. The composition arranges these domestic objects on a tabletop, emphasizing careful spatial balance.

History & Provenance

Pieter Claesz painted Still life with a brazier, a wine‑glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphernalia, and a pewter plate in 1624, as recorded in the work’s catalogue entry and confirmed by the artist’s documented inception date. The composition, executed in oil on panel, measures roughly 40 × 52 cm and exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age still‑life genre. Since its creation, the painting has been part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection, which holds the work in its permanent holdings. No earlier owners or commissioning details are noted in the available documentation.

Overview

Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate is an oil painting created by Pieter Claesz in 1624. This work exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age tradition of still life, presenting a carefully arranged collection of common objects. It is currently part of the collection at the Rijksmuseum, where it offers insight into 17th-century domestic life and artistic conventions.

Still life with wineglass, flute, glass, earthenware jug and pipes
Still life with wineglass, flute, glass, earthenware jug and pipes, Jan Jansz van de Velde

Artist & collection

Portrait of Pieter Claesz

Artist

Pieter Claesz

Pieter Claesz was a Dutch Golden Age painter of still lifes.

Rijksmuseum

Museum

Rijksmuseum

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Rijksmuseum open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of Rijksmuseum. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate?

Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate was painted by Pieter Claesz in 1624-01-01.

Where can I see Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate?

Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate?

Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Can I buy a print of Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate?

Museum-quality prints of Still life with a brazier, a wine-glass, herring, oysters, bread, smoking paraphenalia, and a pewter plate are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.