Wild Strawberries and a Carnation in a Wan-Li Bowl

Niederländische Malerei 1540–1623, c. 1620

A blue and white bowl with a flaring rim is filled with small red strawberries, and the currants and cherries scattered around it are arranged along a wooden ledge or table in this horizontal still life painting. A single, ruby-red and white carnation with a short stem has been stuck down into the bowl at the back center. A few green strawberry leaves lie among the berries near the flower. A butterfly with honey-yellow and black wings perches on one leaf to our right. The top edge of the bowl’s rim is painted with geometric designs in muted azure blue between roughly oval-shaped medallions painted with stylized flowers. The base of the bowl is painted with fruit within a rounded medallion. To our left of the bowl, six vibrant red cherries and three stems of pearl-white currants sit on the table. To our right is another sprig of white currants and one of gleaming, scarlet-red currants. Between them is a trio of strawberry leaves and a pair of strawberries. A fly has landed on one of those berries, near the bottom center of the composition. Several water droplets glisten on the leaves and tabletop. The background is dark, earthen brown.
Artist
Niederländische Malerei 1540–1623
Date
c. 1620
Type
Painting
Medium
oil on copper
Dimensions
overall (copper panel): 28.3 × 36.2 cm
Collection
National Gallery of Art, Washington
Licence
Public domain, CC0

Image description

A blue and white bowl with a flaring rim is filled with small red strawberries, and the currants and cherries scattered around it are arranged along a wooden ledge or table in this horizontal still life painting. A single, ruby-red and white carnation with a short stem has been stuck down into the bowl at the back center. A few green strawberry leaves lie among the berries near the flower. A butterfly with honey-yellow and black wings perches on one leaf to our right. The top edge of the bowl’s rim is painted with geometric designs in muted azure blue between roughly oval-shaped medallions painted with stylized flowers. The base of the bowl is painted with fruit within a rounded medallion. To our left of the bowl, six vibrant red cherries and three stems of pearl-white currants sit on the table. To our right is another sprig of white currants and one of gleaming, scarlet-red currants. Between them is a trio of strawberry leaves and a pair of strawberries. A fly has landed on one of those berries, near the bottom center of the composition. Several water droplets glisten on the leaves and tabletop. The background is dark, earthen brown.

Niederländische Malerei 1540–1623