Still Life of Flowers Fruit Shells and Insects by Balthasar van der Ast was created in 1629. The painting is in Birmingham Museum of Art. The size of the work is 43,1 x 73,6 cm and produced as an oil on panel.
This painting is richly filled with meticulously rendered objects that have an almost palpable quality, demonstrating van der Ast’s interest in the virtuoso effects of his craft. The painting might also hold an underlying message regarding the transience of earthly existence, as seen in the slowly withering flowers and grape leaves.
About the Artist
Dutch Golden Age painter Balthasar van der Ast was born in Middelburg. Van der Ast was trained by Bosschaert as a still life painter, and his early works clearly show Bosschaert’s influence.
Van der Ast accompanied the Bosschaert family in their move in 1615 to Bergen op Zoom and in 1619 to Utrecht, where van der Ast entered the Utrecht Guild of St. Luke. Roelandt Savery (1576–1639) entered the St. Luke’s guild in Utrecht at about the same time. Savery, had considerable influence on van der Ast and his pupils in the years to come, especially in van der Ast’s interest in tonality. Besides the Bosschaerts, his pupils were Anthony Claesz and Johannes Baers. It is also likely that Jan Davidsz de Heem (1606-1683/84) was van der Ast’s pupil in Utrecht. He also influenced Willem and Evert van Aelst, and Bartholomeus Assteyn.
Van der Ast remained in Utrecht until 1632, when he moved to Delft where he joined the guild of St Luke on 22 June 1633. In February 1633 he married Margrieta Jans van Buijeren. They had two children, Maria and Helena. In Delft, van der Ast and family lived in the house on Cellebroerstraat until 1640, and in the house in Oude Delft until his death in 1657, when he was buried in the Oude Kerk.
Order a reproduction of this work (printed on canvas)
