Nicolaes van Veerendael (Antwerp 1640-1691)

In this panel Nicolaes van Veerendael shows the influence of Daniel Seghers, whose brightly lit floral arrangements with contrasting black backgrounds and exaggerated vertical axes he adopted. Veerendael's choice of bold contrasting colors and his preference for mixing pinks and reds along with his outstanding use of whites, all present here, became hallmarks of his style. Particular to this work is the play of light on the vase and a myriad of reflections -- including that of the artist painting -- which are carefully studied from life. The prominence of the delicate and exotic iris among the more frequently occurring array of roses and tulips is another innovative feature of this work. This still life, though undated, was probably executed before the 1670s, when the artist moved towards larger, lavish compositions in the vein of Jan Davidsz. de Heem.