Sumptuous Still Life with Fruits, Pie and Goblets, 1651

About the Work

It was intended that this seemingly random table arrangement should be understood as supreme luxury. The great prosperity which Dutch merchants amassed during the seventeenth century through their worldwide trading is expressed in what are known as magnificent still lifes: precious drinking goblets of gold, silver or glass; fine silver or pewter plates presenting delicacies which someone appears to have tasted only briefly. Despite the magnificence and superabundance, we do not see a carefully laid table but rather the remains of a meal carelessly pushed to one side. This is expressed in particular through the crumpled serviette.