Lot 24: Abraham van Beyeren (The Hague 1620/21-1690 Overschie)

Abraham van Beyeren (The Hague 1620/21-1690 Overschie)
Pronk still life of bowls of fruit and other objects on a table draped in purple and white cloths in an interior with a niche behind
signed with artist's monogram 'AB.f.' and dated 'ANo 1654' (lower left)
oil on canvas
40 x 39¼ in. (101.6 x 99.7 cm.)

Budapest, Museum of Fine Arts, 1910-1911, no. 44.
Dusseldorf, Alter Malerei, Aus Rheinisch-Westfälischem Privat-Besitz, January-February 1928, no. 6.
London, Royal Academy of Arts, Exhibition of Dutch Art, 1450-1900, 1929, no. 249.
Delft, Museum Het Prinsenhof, Kerst Tentoonstelling Nederlandse meesters uit particulier bezit, 21 December 1952-1 February 1953, no. 4.

'Notable Works of Art Now on the Market: Supplement', Burlington Magazine, LI, no. 297, December 1927, pl. 22.
F. Lewis, A Dictionary of Dutch and Flemish Fruit and Still-Life Painters, 15th to 19th Century, Leigh-on-Sea, 1973, p. 13, pl. 32.
S. Segal, A Prosperous Past, The Hague, 1989, pp. 172-173, 219, note 11, pl. 9.3.

Souraire, Lorrain.
Thirion, Paris, by 1907.
with Kleinberger & Co., New York.
Marzcell von Nemes, Budapest, by 1910.
with Reinhardt and Co., New York.
Karl Lanz, Mannheim, by 1917.
with Van Meer Gallery, London.
with Van Diemen & Co., Amsterdam-Berlin.
Anton Jurgens, London, by 1929.
F. Jurgens, Surrey.
with Duits Ltd., London, by 1973.
with Thomas Brod Gallery, London, by 1989.

Sumptuous still lives such as the present lot, piled high with fruit and flowers, silver and glass and the bounties of the sea, known as a pronkstilleven, were a particular specialty of Abraham van Beyeren. Roses, a hallmark of van Beyeren's still lives, spill over the edge of the table, itself set with multiple silver plates covered in expensive imported lemons, cherries and peaches. The sea's riches - in the form of a shrimp, lobster and crab - are carefully executed and placed among the façon de venise and ornate silver tazza. These various riches represent the wealth of the earth and the sea, as well as man's own creative wealth. A gold watch, precariously nestled among the folds of the white silk tablecloth at the center of the composition, adds a subtle yet determined reminder of the fleeting nature of life in general, and in particular the opulence of the 'rich man's dinner' set before the viewer.

Many of the same still life elements appear in other paintings by the artist. The watch is seen in many of his still lives, including that in the Hague, which also features a silver jug very similar to the jug in the present picture. The still life at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art features the same ornate nautilus shell and scalloped silver dish.

Van Beyeren's broad brushstrokes differentiate his style from the precision of contemporaries such as Jan Davidsz. de Heem. His dexterity with the brush is best admired from afar, where his virtuosity and extreme skill are shown to best effect. His fluid brushwork and understanding of coloration and tonality were not lauded by contemporary collectors, but his atmospheric pictures inspired later artists such as Jean Siméon Chardin, whose kitchen still lives reflect the influence of van Beyeren's broad brushstroke, sensitive tonalities, and strong atmospheric sense.