Abraham Gibbens (active Paris 1629-1635)

Cherries, wild strawberries and translucent gooseberries rest in a blue and white China bowl. The delicate fruits and bowl are complimented by the more earthy oak wood ledge and two white salsify roots. Gibbens here brings together the seasonal foods of summer and winter, the familiarity of oak wood and porcelain from an exotic world beyond, into one beautifully balanced composition.

Gibbens worked in Paris between circa 1629 – 1635 where devolved his skills as an artist. On the 26th of March 1629, he received the official title of painter and was admitted into the guild of Saint Germain-des Prés.
This endearing still life is one of three known paintings by the Flemish artist Abraham Gibbens. An almost identical, signed composition, was formerly in the F. Steinmeyer collection (see: M. Faré, Le Grand Siècle de la Nature Morte en France, Le XVIIe Siècle, Paris 1974, p. 79, reproduced).

We are grateful to Fred Meijer of the RKD, The Hague, for confirming the attribution to Gibbens upon inspection of the original work (verbal communication, 23 November 2014).