The Larder by Vassallo, Anton Maria

This is Anton Maria Vassallo's 'The Larder,' a mid-17th-century oil painting that functions as a complete inventory of a wealthy household's provisions. Painted around 1655, it is less a simple still life and more an eyewitness account of domestic abundance before modern refrigeration.

Look past the initial clutter. The rooster is still alert, a vibrant note among the carcasses. The peacock, an exotic and expensive bird, hangs by its feet, its iridescent tail feathers catching the light. Those tail 'eyes' were a well-known symbol of immortality in Baroque painting, creating a deliberate contrast with the perishable food around it. In the background, a small window reveals a kitchen servant at work, grounding the display in the practical bustle of a real household.

Vassallo uses a strong chiaroscuro, the deep shadows pushing the illuminated fur of the rabbit, the sheen of the copper pan, and the glistening scales of the raw fish into high relief. The painting reflects the Baroque fascination with elaborate still-life arrangements that juxtapose plenty with the quiet suggestion of decay. While its early ownership is not fully documented, it has been recorded in European collections since the 18th century.

It is a pantry door left open for four centuries. What would your stocked shelves say about you?