Still Life with a Basket of Fruit on a Fruit Strewn Table with Two Butterflies and a Beetle (Primary Title)
Jacob van Hulsdonck, Flemish, 1582 - 1647 (Artist)
A native of Antwerp, Hulsdonck appears to have
learned how to paint the textures of fruit and render
the delicacy of petals from Ambrosius Bosschaert in
Middelburg. This admirable still life captures the very
best qualities of his rare extant paintings. The water
droplets that bead the basket’s overflowing fruits and
leaves convey an immediate sense of the freshness of
the harvest. A large tortoiseshell butterfly and a small
white one, commonly called a cabbage butterfly, seem
to be attracted to the sensuous aromas of the fruit,
suggested by their ripe tones and varied surfaces.
The twirling grapevine provides an unexpected vivaciousness to the simple yet thoughtful composition.
The high vantage point allows the viewer to look down
upon the fruits that spill across its surface, while
the basket itself is shown from a lower perspective
that emphasizes the abundance of the cornucopia.
signed lower left: JVHULSDONCK. FE. [JVH in ligature]
The Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III Collection
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
