Still Life with Flowers on a Marble Slab

Rachel Ruysch, a Dutch artist, painted this still life with oil on canvas. The sumptuous flowers on a marble slab, an ensemble of contrasting colours and delicate forms, speak to the cultural fascination with the natural world in the Netherlands during the 17th and 18th centuries. Ruysch’s paintings were popular among collectors, especially those interested in botany and natural science. The Dutch Golden Age was a period of scientific advancement, which led to the emergence of new institutions such as botanical gardens. The image shows how art and science were closely linked during the time it was painted. Ruysch, as a woman artist, occupied an unusual position in the art world, which was overwhelmingly male. Art historians have consulted archival sources, such as guild records and family papers, to understand the conditions that enabled her to achieve professional success. Such research reveals the social structures that shape artistic production.