Still Life with Flowers 1667

Nicolaes Lachtropius painted this still life with oils, but we don’t know exactly when. These types of paintings were very popular in the Netherlands. The Dutch Golden Age saw an increase in trade, which brought new wealth and a culture of collecting art. Still life paintings celebrated worldly goods. The flowers in this image were luxury commodities, imported from around the world. Look at how the artist has meticulously captured their beauty, from the intricate details of the petals to the play of light and shadow. Even the bugs are rendered with care! But what is the public role of art? How do we understand the culture of collecting? A historian asks questions like these to place artworks within their social and institutional context. By delving into historical records and understanding the culture of the time, we can understand how the painting reflects the social and economic values of the Dutch Golden Age.