Still Life with Vegetables before a Draped, Overturned Plinth by an Ornamental Fountain 1680 - 1690

Peeter Gijsels painted this still life with oil on canvas, and it presents a scene rich in both natural and constructed elements. The composition is structured around a contrast between the verdant garden setting and the meticulously arranged display of fruits, vegetables, and various objects in the foreground. The interplay of light across these surfaces creates a visual texture that invites close inspection. The overturned plinth and draped fabric introduce a dynamic tension. Gijsels challenges fixed meanings through this disarray. The inclusion of animals like rabbits, birds, and guinea pigs brings a sense of vitality, further animating the scene. Ultimately, the work functions not merely as a display of opulent items, but as a complex interplay of signs, reflecting broader philosophical concerns about nature, artifice, and the transient nature of beauty.