Flowers in a Wan-Li Vase c. 1610 - 1615

Jan Brueghel the Younger painted this still life with oil on panel, showcasing an array of flowers in a Wan-Li vase. The vase itself, a symbol of Eastern trade and exoticism, holds a bouquet of tulips and roses. These blooms, however, are not merely decorative; each carries its own weight of meaning. Tulips, particularly prized in 17th-century Holland, evoked luxury and fleeting beauty. We also see the rose, a long-standing symbol of love and transience. Throughout history, the rose appears as a potent symbol, from its association with Aphrodite in ancient Greece, to its use in Christian iconography as a representation of the Virgin Mary. Consider how the image stirs our emotions. The bright, evanescent blooms elicit feelings of ephemeral beauty, reminding us of the transient nature of life. It is a cycle of life and death, captured, then reborn on the canvas.