Still Life with Books, Sheet Music, Violin, Celestial Globe and an Owl 1645 - 1650

Jacob van Campen's "Still Life with Books, Sheet Music, Violin, Celestial Globe and an Owl" (1645-1650) is a quintessential example of 17th-century Dutch still life painting, known as "pronkstilleven" for its lavish display of objects. The painting depicts a collection of carefully arranged objects within a niche, including a violin, sheet music, books, a celestial globe, and an owl, all symbols of knowledge and learning. The detailed rendering of the objects and the play of light and shadow contribute to the painting's sophisticated realism, characteristic of van Campen's artistic style. The work, now part of the Rijksmuseum collection, exemplifies the Dutch Golden Age's fascination with the intellectual pursuits of the time.