Just Some Flowers

Jan Brueghel, Bouquet in a Clay Vase, after 1599 probably 1607, Oil on Oakwood.

Jan Brueghel, son of Pieter Brueghel, was a Flemish painter known mostly for his technical finesse as a flower painter, the most highly-praised genre of still-lifes. The painting is a vanitas, a painting meant to portray the fleeting nature of life and the worthlessness of material objects. The still life also serves the purpose to flaunt Brueghel's masterful technique in rendering flowers, hard to paint objects. Painting on a wood backing was strickly a Northern tradition.

At first glance the still life may appear to just be a brilliant representation of flowers, however, this painting is an encyclopedia of blooms that occurred at different times of the year, and would never have been arranged at the same time. Hence, it represents the power of the painter to defeat time. The flowers are lifesize. Over 100 different varieties are shown here including a snowdrop and a yellow crocus, several kinds of narcissi, two rare white tulips whose petals are tinged with pink and blue, a wild rose, a marigold, forget-me-nots, flax flowers, three cyclamen and their distinctive heart-shaped leaves, and a tiny pansy.

The coins on the table suggest that flowers were very expensive luxaries. Shells relate to collecting practices stemming from the practice of keeping a cabinet of curiosities. This particular one is a wunder bouquet meaning a collector's bouquet. Brueghel meant his work to provide an uplifting spirit in winter.

Even though this still life appears to be a pure representation of reality on a closer look the painter uses genre painting as a mode to remind christians of the power of God and the fleeting nature of life.

--Peesh