Timeless and fragrant, the bouquets
are composed of flowers that do not bloom at the same time. In a mixed
arrangement we find late-winter hollyhocks, spring daffodils and tulips, May lilies, lilies of the valley,
peonies, June roses, carnations, dahlias and jasmine. In the bouquet on the
left of the painting there are some flowers that achieved the depicted look
with the help of the painter's imagination.
The type of bouquets, the shaping of the flowers, the presence of
insects and birds all point to an inspiration from Italian floral still-lifes
of the first quarter of the 17th century. Despite the Italian source,
the overall impression of the painting and some of the details suggest the
Spanish school. Although the painter is unknown and the style is not
sufficiently distinctive to be associated with any known painter, it can be
seen that it is in many ways reminiscent of the still lifes of Juan van der Hamn
y Léon (1596–1631) and Pedro de Camprobín
(1605–1674). The still life stands
out for its dramatic lighting and the detailed subjects painted. The artist's
confident use of chiaroscuro allows for powerful contrasts of light and dark,
with darkness becoming the dominant feature of the painting, revealing the
direct influence of the Tenebrist Baroque. The technique was developed to add
drama and is common in Spanish Baroque paintings, and this still life presents
formal characteristics that still correspond to the transition between the
naturalism of the early 17th century and the full-blown Baroque of the second
half of this century.
7 September – 4 October 2023
National Gallery of Slovenia
Prešernova 24
1000 Ljubljana