Maria van Oosterwyck (Nootdorp, near Delft 1630-1693 Uitdam)

Maria van Oosterwyck nurtured her talents in the studio of the celebrated painter Jan Davidsz. de Heem. She soon began to work independently and after a number of years moved to Amsterdam, establishing a studio opposite the contemporary still-life painter Willem van Aelst. Fully immersed in the creative circles of the much sought-after Dutch Golden Age painters, Oosterwyck astutely advertised her work abroad and was patronised by Louis XIV of France, the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and William III of England. Despite her success, she was denied membership to the painters' guild, however, as one of very few women to be considered a professional artist in the seventeenth century, the context of Oosterwyck's work is highly important.

This small canvas, in which the artist employs vivid colours against a dark background, is a fine example of Oosterwyck's still-life work. The artist's deep religious conviction should not be overlooked in any of her compositions, with her careful selection of colours rich in symbolic meaning; white denoting innocence, red martyrdom, and the frequent depiction of butterflies representing the resurrection of Christ.