Artwork
A Bust of Flora (?) with a Garland
A Bust of Flora (?) with a Garland is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Pieter Hardimé. It dates from 1729 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Created in 1729, this work is an oil painting executed on a canvas support. The piece measures 84 cm in height and 158 cm in width. Classified within the still life genre, the composition depicts a bust of Flora accompanied by a garland. The formal qualities reflect the artist's approach to still life subjects during the early eighteenth century.
History & Provenance
While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the institution maintains the piece as part of its holdings.
The work was painted in 1729 by Pieter Hardimé, as indicated by the artist’s dated inscription on the canvas.
It entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings as part of the national collection managed by the Rijksdienst Beeldende Kunst, where it remains located. No documented commission or earlier ownership chain prior to its acquisition by the Rijksmuseum has been established in the cited sources.
The painting A Bust of Flora (?) with a Garland by Pieter Hardimé is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is also associated with the Rijksdienst Beeldende Kunst. Created in 1729, the work is cataloged as an oil painting on canvas.
While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the institution maintains the piece as part of its holdings. No specific exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.
Overview
Created in 1729 by the Flemish artist Pieter Hardimé, this oil painting presents a single figure framed by an elaborate floral garland. The work exemplifies the decorative sensibility of the early eighteenth‑century Rococo, combining portraiture with still‑life elements. It is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and reflects Hardimé’s reputation for elaborate flower compositions.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a woman, modestly attired in a dark dress, who cradles a large basket overflowing with blossoms. A wreath of roses, lilies and assorted flowers encircles a sculpted bust, suggesting an allegorical link to Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers. The juxtaposition of the human figure with the abundant flora underscores themes of fertility and the transient beauty of nature.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter Hardimé (25 November 1677, in Antwerp – September 1748, in The Hague) was a Flemish painter known for his paintings of flowers.
