Ambrosius bosschaert the elder biography of christopher

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Ambrosius bosschaert the elder biography of christopher

In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item. Dutch painter and art dealer. Still-Life of Flowers , , J. Paul Getty Museum , Los Angeles. The Hague. Biography [ edit ]. Style [ edit ]. Legacy [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. Bosschaert's works frequently depicted bouquets of flowers accompanied by butterflies or seashells.

Notably, many of his paintings incorporated elements of decay, showcasing wilted flowers. This symbolic motif, known as vanitas, served as a reminder of the transience of life. Ambrosius Bosschaert's influence extended beyond his lifetime. Nevertheless, all the plants would soon wither, several leaves have already been devoured by insects, and several fallen inflorescences lie below.

Only the shells and the vase itself would remain unchanged — they will survive the multicoloured beauty of flowers. Everything here is not what it seems at first glance. The complex splendour of shells is associated with death, these are the empty tombs of sea creatures, once they contained life, which is personified in the images of the fly, the dragonfly and the caterpillar.

Moreover, a gentle push is enough for the vase to fall through the window. Bosschaert constantly reminds us that everything is mortal in the material world. In his Flowers in a Glass Vase , National Gallery, London , the bouquet consists of simple flowers that are not actually in a vase, but in a wine glass. Just as in the famous Vase of Flowers, Bosschaert makes us understand that the magical nature of flowers is as intoxicating to the eyes as wine.

A fly crawling in the foreground also carries a hint: only an insignificant and devoid of feelings can turn its back on such an amazing sight as a bouquet of flowers. Their works, generally very numerous, are invariably desirable at art auctions. In , he travelled to The Hague to deliver a flower painting to the Prince of Orange's Chamberlain, for which he received the extraordinary sum of 1, guilders.

He died in The Hague the same year. Having spent three years in Utrecht between and , Bosschaert moved to Breda in