painting, oil-paint
gouache
baroque
painting
oil-paint
vanitas
Dimensions: 136 cm (height) x 116 cm (width) x 9.2 cm (depth) (Brutto), 119 cm (height) x 99 cm (width) (Netto)
Hendrik Schoock created this Flower Piece, a lavish display rendered in oil, inviting us into the symbolic language of the Dutch Golden Age. Here, each bloom is chosen not just for its beauty, but for its layered meanings. Consider the sunflower, a symbol of divine love and devotion, its face always turned towards the sun. Yet, observe how it droops, its vitality fading. This motif echoes through art history, from classical depictions of Helios to Van Gogh’s tormented fields. The sunflower transforms, reflecting our evolving relationship with nature and divinity. The presence of insects, like butterflies, are not merely decorative. They are reminders of transformation and the ephemeral nature of beauty and life, resonating with the memento mori tradition. These flowers arranged in such profusion, evoke both joy and melancholy. The painting captures a moment of splendor, while hinting at the inevitable decay that awaits all living things, engaging us in a silent dialogue about time and mortality.
Comments
More than twenty different species of plants appear in Hendrick Schoock’s painting. The large bouquet includes many flowers that are simply ordinary garden plants to us – such as tulips, peonies, Chinese lanterns and irises. But in Schoock’s day these plants were all very exotic and only accessible to the very rich. At times, tulip and hyacinth bulbs were considered investments. What is unique about Schoock’s bouquet is the fact that it also includes humbler plants such as grasses, grains and herbs. Mature wheat, hare’s tail grass and cockspur grass appear among all the colourful flowers. Like many other flower painters of his day, Schoock was very interested in reflected and refracted light.
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