Floral still-life

Dirck van Rijswijck · 1662-01-01T00:00:00Z

Trained as a goldsmith, Van Rijswijck was celebrated during his lifetime for his inlaywork of mother-of-pearl in ebony or black marble creating still-life pictures and several tabletops. The large-scale importation of tropical shells into Amsterdam during the seventeenth century prompted contemporary artists to specialize in the working of mother-of-pearl. Carefully choosing pieces that simulated the natural colors of his subjects, Van Rijswijck engraved certain features with a burin and darkened them with charcoal and wax. Like most flower paintings, his compositions were not entirely realistic in their portrayal of blooms that available during different seasons.