Jan van Huysum

Jan van Huysum: Flower Still Life in a Sculpted Stone Vase, 1718. 

Oil on copper.

Dutch.

I was just blown away by this still life, when i seen it in the National Gallery of Scotland. It's one of the biggest paintings done on a copper plate, measuring at 80.10 x 61.40 cm, out of it's frame. I don't know if it's because it was painted on copper or if it's just how he's applied the paint, but you can't see a single brush mark. It looks so real that you start to forget that it's a painting you're looking at. This still life is abundance with different flowers, from all different seasons like tulips and roses. It's also inhabited with butterflies, ants and birds eggs. 

The lighting of the painting makes it feel like it under a spot light. The background of the painting looks setback and very smooth. It's meant to be in a stone windowsill, which seems to be quite a common thing, in this type of still life. I've seen a lot of paintings in this style, with the big flowers on a stone base. Someone that has used this style is Hannah Gluck. 

Gluck was a female post-war painter. Her still life paintings of flowers came about when she started seeing Nesta Obermer. Obermer was a well established florist, making pieces for the Royal family. Gluck's art work changed completely after meeting Obermer, in style and subject. The style that she paints the flowers is very similar to the way that Huysum did.

Other art works. 

Still Life with Flowers and Fruit 1715 

STILL LIFE WITH FRUIT ON A MARBLE LEDGE