Still Life with Oysters 

Osias Beert’s painting presents a spread of oysters and bread alongside wine and confectionary delights. Beert’s commercial success came at a time when Antwerp was a booming port city and a centre of trade in luxury goods. Consider the cultural associations we have with oysters. Then as now, oysters were regarded as a delicacy, symbolizing wealth and status. But there's also the rather racy association with oysters as an aphrodisiac, which suggests a narrative beyond that of simple pleasure. In the 17th century, these sumptuous displays of food could symbolize a growing merchant class, with the ability to afford luxury items from all over the world. This abundance is suggestive of more than just prosperity; it speaks to the social and economic structures that enabled such opulence. It prompts us to consider whose labor made such still lifes possible, hinting at the complex social dynamics of the time. The sensuousness of the oysters and the sweetness of the wine invite us to contemplate not only our desires, but the larger, often unseen, stories behind the things we consume.