Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder - Vase with flowers in a window

Flower still lifes were a novelty at the beginning of the 17th century. The Flemish artist Bosschaert introduced them to Middelburg, the city where he spent most of his life. The special thing about this painting is the placing of the bouquet: it is not depicted against a uniform background, as was customary, but in a niche with a view to a vast, rugged landscape. The bouquet, with more than 15 different kinds of flowers, is symmetrically arranged and evenly lit. This is characteristic of early flower still lifes. A bouquet like this one could not exist in reality, since many of the flowers seen here do not bloom at the same time. Moreover, the stems of the flowers at the top of the bouquet could not possibly reach the water in the vase. Flower painters were mainly concerned with showing each species to best advantage. Bosschaert thus depicted the individual flowers as precisely as possible, the well-known roses and pansies, as well as the tulips and cyclamen, which in those days were considered very exotic. The realistic effect is heightened by such subtle details as the drops of water and the fat fly on the window sill.		artist Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder title Vase with flowers in a window period c.1618 material paneel dimensions 64 x 46 cm
The flowers All the flowers in this bouquet were rendered with almost scientific precision. Although some of them were extremely rare, Bosschaert must nevertheless have used real flowers as examples. Particularly in Middelburg, where a remarkable number of botanists lived, he would have had the opportunity to see such flowers. Bosschaert probably began by observing the rare species and making detailed drawings, which he later used as examples when painting. He consulted his studies regularly, as evidenced by the flowers that crop up in his paintings again and again. The following flowers are to be seen in this painting:    1. Cabbage rose 2. French marigold 3. Tulip 4. Pansy 5. White rose 6. Lily of the valley 6. Garden anemone 8. Amethyst hyacinth 9. Tulip 10. Rosemary 11. Columbine 12. Snake’s head fritillary 13. Siberian iris 14. Tulip 15. Summer pheasant’s eye 16. African marigold 17. Yellow flag iris 18. African marigold 19. Narcissus 20. Tulip 21. Columbine 22. Garden anemone 23. Tuscany rose 24. Grape hyacinth 25. Yellow fritillary 26. Lavender cotton 27. Cyclamen 28. White trumpet daffodil 29. Forget-me-not 30. Pink
Tulip mania It was not until the late 16th century that the tulip was imported from Turkey, so at the beginning of the 17th century it was still considered new and exotic. It quickly became a popular and costly collector’s item. Before long there were dozens of varieties on the market. The tulip trade blossomed. In 1636-1637 the demand for tulips skyrocketed, and the ensuing ‘tulip mania’ led to wild speculation in ‘tulip futures’. Trading in tulip bulbs proved to be a quick and easy way to make money, since almost everyone who bought bulbs could sell them a short time later for two or three times as much. The bulbs – and contracts for their delivery – thus exchanged hands for ever greater sums of money. Many people bought bulbs on credit, promising to pay later and sometimes even putting up their house as collateral. In February 1637 the bubble burst: prices plummeted and many people were left destitute. The tulip trade was mocked in prints and paintings by such artists as Jan Brueghel the Younger, who portrayed the dealers as monkeys. The Dutch, incidentally, went on cultivating tulips, to the extent that the flower is now the national symbol.
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