Aardbeien en pruimen 1828 - 1882

Dirk Jan Hendrik Joosten made "Aardbeien en pruimen," or "Strawberries and Plums," with watercolor and pencil on paper sometime in the 19th century. This was a time when the Dutch still life tradition celebrated the abundance of nature, but also underscored the fleeting nature of beauty and life itself. The arrangement of the fruits is quite fascinating: individual strawberries, each meticulously rendered, are lined up almost as if for inspection, while others are gathered in a casual heap. In the foreground, the plums appear weighty, each showcasing a unique blush of color and subtle imperfections. Still life paintings often functioned as symbols of wealth and status during Joosten’s era. This piece, however, with its muted palette and intimate scale, invites us to consider the personal connection to the natural world, a quiet nod to the beauty of the everyday. It's as though Joosten is saying: "Yes, life is fleeting, but isn't it beautiful?"