Artwork
Still Life with Fish
Still Life with Fish is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist R. van Burgh. It dates from 1690 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas in 1679, the painting is rendered with a restrained yet precise handling typical of late seventeenth-century Dutch still-life practice.
The composition is anchored by a carefully balanced arrangement of fish, likely herring and plaice, resting on a stone ledge with modest drapery and a knife, exploiting subtle tonal contrasts and fine brushwork to render reflections and translucent membranes of the flesh. Subtle impasto is reserved for highlights on the blade and the gleam of wet scales, while the surrounding passages employ smoother, blended transitions to articulate the matte stone and fabric.
The condition appears stable; no structural damage to the canvas is noted, and the paint layer retains its original saturation with only minor, localized wear along the upper edge.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the museum's holdings through a formal acquisition, reflecting its recognized cultural and historical significance.
The work titled Still Life with Fish was created by R. van Burgh in 1679 as an oil painting on canvas. It is currently part of the Rijksmuseum's collection and resides in Amsterdam.
The painting entered the museum's holdings through a formal acquisition, reflecting its recognized cultural and historical significance. Its dimensions are recorded as 153 cm in width and 111.5 cm in height.
The work is classified as a still life, aligning with the genre and material specifications documented in its provenance.
Still Life with Fish, painted by R. van Burgh in 1679, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work is an oil painting on canvas measuring 111.5 cm in height by 153 cm in width. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
Overview
Created in 1690, this oil painting titled Still Life with Fish presents a somber arrangement of dead fish set upon a coarse, darkened surface. The composition is anchored by the lifeless marine specimens, while a muted landscape with a distant boat and faint buildings recedes into shadow behind them. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Subject & Meaning
The central focus is a heap of gray‑brown fish, some with mouths and gills exposed, others cleaved open, suggesting a moment after a catch. Scattered tools accompany the carcasses, hinting at the practical aspects of fish handling. The stark depiction of mortality and the quiet labor associated with it invites contemplation of the transience of life and the routine of trade.
Context
The painting belongs to a tradition of 17th‑century Dutch still lifes that often featured foodstuffs and market items, reflecting the era’s commercial prosperity and interest in realistic representation. By focusing on fish, a common commodity, the work aligns with contemporary genre scenes that documented everyday economic activity while exploring themes of abundance and decay.
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Artist & collection
Artist
This 17th-century painter made oil-on-canvas still lifes. In Still Life with Fish (1679), they laid out silver-scaled herring, a copper pot, and a pewter plate on a wooden table with sharp, clean light. The scene is…
