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Bouquet of Flowers on a Ledge by Ambrosius Bosschaert

Ambrosius Bosschaert · 1650-01-01

Bouquet of Flowers on a Ledge was painted by Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder around 1650, on a sheet of copper rather than canvas. Bosschaert was one of the very first painters to treat flower arrangements as a subject worthy of a painting of their own.

Look first at the glass vase: the copper support let him achieve a transparency that canvas never could. Then find the butterfly among the petals, the seashell and pinecone on the ledge, and finally the tiny insect near the edge, so small it's easy to overlook.

Bosschaert was both a painter and an art dealer. He founded a dynasty of still-life painters that turned the Dutch city of Middelburg into the center of flower painting. He understood what made a painting hold a viewer's attention.

Every element in this quiet bouquet was a choice. What stops your eye first?

Details

That's how he painted glass you can see right through.
That's how he painted glass you can see right through.
Its prominent position and vibrant colors draw the eye, showcasing the artist's skill in rendering delicate petals.
Its prominent position and vibrant colors draw the eye, showcasing the artist's skill in rendering delicate petals.
Transcript

This was painted on a sheet of copper. That's how he painted glass you can see right through. A butterfly. It won't be here long. At the base: a seashell and a pinecone. And an insect so small, canvas would have swallowed it.