Snack (Still Life with Crab, Fruit and Clock) by Abraham van Beijeren
This is Abraham van Beijeren's Snack (Still Life with Crab, Fruit and Clock), painted around 1659 and now in the State Hermitage Museum. The trick here is how the artist makes oil paint seem like a dozen different materials: glass, metal, fruit, and seafood.
Look closely at the crab's shell, glistening as if just caught. Then notice the wine glass, so thin you can see the dark liquid and reflections. The orange peel has a rough texture, and the silver bowl gleams with reflected light.
Van Beijeren was a Dutch Baroque master of still life. While he started as a marine painter, he became famous for these opulent displays. This painting shows his skill in rendering diverse textures and forms, making everyday objects look extraordinary.
He painted 1659, but the inscription appears to be part of the metal itself. Here, the painter’s trick is laid bare.
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Transcript
He paints this crab to look like you can eat it. Look at the wet sheen on its shell. This glass seems so thin and fragile. The wine inside catches the light perfectly. He painted this orange peel like real skin. The silver bowl reflects everything around it. Oil paint becomes metallic and transparent. His signature is painted into the metal.