Artwork
Still Life of Fruit and Game
Still Life of Fruit and Game is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Pieter van Overschie. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Pieter van Overschie's 1645 oil painting, Still Life of Fruit and Game, depicts a classic arrangement of natural bounty and hunted prey.
Pieter van Overschie's 1645 oil painting, Still Life of Fruit and Game, depicts a classic arrangement of natural bounty and hunted prey. The composition specifically features grapes and various fruits alongside a bird and a rabbit, representing the convergence of agricultural harvest and the spoils of the hunt. As a work within the still-life genre, the inclusion of game animals such as the rabbit and bird alongside abundant fruit typically symbolizes the transience of earthly pleasures and the cycle of life and death.
The juxtaposition of fresh produce with dead game serves as a visual reminder of mortality, a common thematic concern in seventeenth-century Dutch and Flemish art where such objects often carried moralizing undertones regarding the fleeting nature of material wealth and physical vitality.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on a wooden panel, measuring approximately 83.5 × 118.7 cm and dated 1645. It belongs to the still-life genre and portrays a composition of grapes, assorted fruit, a bird, and a rabbit. The painter employed oil paint to render the textures of fruit skin, foliage, and the plumage of the bird, achieving a naturalistic rendering typical of mid-seventeenth-century Dutch still-life practice. The surface is smooth, with fine brushwork that defines individual elements while maintaining overall harmony.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Still Life of Fruit and Game was created in 1645 by Pieter van Overschie using oil on panel; its dimensions measure 83.5 cm by 118.7 cm. It belongs to the still-life genre and is classified as a painting. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is presently held. No documentation indicates a specific commission for the piece, suggesting it may have been produced for the artist's studio or the open market.
Overview
Still Life of Fruit and Game is an oil painting that presents a rich assortment of natural elements. The composition features a dark surface laden with both hunted animals and various produce. This work exemplifies a traditional still life arrangement, showcasing a detailed observation of textures and forms through the medium of oil paint.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pieter van Overschie or Pieter van Overschee (fl. 1640–1672) was a Flemish still life painter who was active in Antwerp between 1640 and 1672. He is known for his fruit still lifes and game still lifes.
