Hans van Essen (Antwerp 1588/89-after 1648 Amsterdam)

Very little is known about the life and work of Hans van Essen, and in the past he has often been confused with another Hans van Essen of Antwerp, who became a pupil of Simon Hack in 1601 and master of the St. Lucas guild in 1609. Our Hans van Essen, born in Antwerp, is known to have lived and worked in Amsterdam as a still life painter between 1607 and 1648, where he presumably died as well. The 1634 estate of his first wife suggests a family connection with Jacob Foppens van Es (see: A. van der Willigen and F.G. Meijer, A Dictionary of Dutch and Flemish Still-life Painters Working in Oils, 1525-1725, Leiden, 2003, p. 80).

The present picture represents one of only two undoubted autograph works by Hans van Essen and it can be dated to circa 1635-1655 (according to the RKD, The Hague). The other known work by Hans van Essen is a similar ornate still-life painting, previously in the H.W. Streit collection, Hamburg, by 1935 (present whereabouts unknown).

The picture is of excellent quality with a beautiful rendering of the various textures and a well-balanced composition. A broad and fluid brushstroke is visible with still brilliant local colors. It has been in Swedish collections for over 100 years.