Still Life with Flowers 1762

Cornelia van der Mijn’s ‘Still Life with Flowers’ is an oil painting, made with ground pigments suspended in linseed or walnut oil, applied in thin glazes to build up color and depth. Consider the context: the Dutch Golden Age was a time of burgeoning trade, and flowers, particularly exotic tulips, became symbols of wealth and status. Van der Mijn, as a woman artist, had to navigate a male-dominated art world, and still life painting was considered a suitable genre for female artists. The making of this painting, then, is tied to wider social issues of class, gender, and consumption. Oil paint allowed Van der Mijn to capture the textures and forms of each flower, showcasing the luxury and the amount of labor involved in their cultivation and acquisition. This attention to detail elevates the work beyond mere decoration. By focusing on the materials, making, and context of this artwork, we can see how it reflects the social and economic forces of its time, challenging traditional distinctions between art and craft.