Still Life: Fruit, Goblet and Salver

Willem Kalf 1619 - 1693

Summary

Kalf spent much of his life in the prosperous city of Amsterdam, which was the centre of international trade in the 17th century. The luxury items displayed here were imported from around the world. Here, Kalf creates an impression of discreet luxury, focusing the eye on choice objects whose surface textures are beautifully realised: a silver salver; a fruit knife with a mother-of-pearl handle; a roemer, or wine goblet, its stem decorated with raspberry prunts (impressed relief motifs that made it both beautiful to look at and easy to hold); an elegant flute, whose liquid contents catch a warm reflected light; a thick, richly coloured Turkish carpet; peeled Mediterranean fruit, suggesting the fresh scent of citrus. The asymmetry only seems casual, but the objects have been carefully arranged against a dark background to create a sense of mystery and opulence. Such carpets were only found in the wealthiest homes and even there were considered too valuable to put on the floor. While the painting may have darkened over time, the black background is typical of Kalf's work. He used it to emphasise colours and textures, and to enhance the effect of light glinting on precious objects. The bumpy lemon and orange skins, and the nodules on the roemer stem, for example, contrast with the smooth glass and marble table. The spiral of lemon peel, plate and knife seem to protrude from the picture frame to create an illusion of three-dimensional space. The luxury goods are offered up to the viewer, yet they are deceptively unattainable and may allude to the vanity of earthly pleasures. Kalf was a master of this genre, known as pronkstilleven (ostentatious or luxurious still life), which was in great demand by rich Dutch merchants.

Display Label

Still Life: Fruit, Goblet and Salver 1660s Willem Kalf 1619-93 Oil on canvas Kalf’s sumptuous still lifes, known as pronkstillevens, depicted the most expensive objects of the time. The citrus fruits and the Middle-Eastern rug were imported items. Such rugs were considered far too valuable to go on the floor. This profusion of luxury objects may allude to the vanity of earthly pleasures. Whilst this painting may have darkened over time, the black background is typical of Kalf’s work. He uses strong contrasts of light and dark to emphasise colours and textures, and enhance the effect of light glittering on precious objects. The spiralling lemon peel, along with the plate and knife, seem to protrude out of the painting’s surface to create the illusion of 3-dimensional space. This is a pictorial device commonly referred to as trompe l’oeil, or ‘trick of the eye’ in French. Assheton Bennett bequest 1979.468