Flowers in a Glass

1606

Flowers in a Glass, 1606. Ambrosius Bosschaert (Dutch, 1573–1621). Oil on copper; framed: 60.3 x 52.8 x 6.4 cm (23 3/4 x 20 13/16 x 2 1/2 in.); unframed: 35.6 x 29.3 cm (14 x 11 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Carrie Moss Halle in memory of Salmon Portland Halle 1960.108 One of the first artists to specialize in flower painting, Ambrosius Bosschaert may have been inspired by the botanical gardens and scientific collections in his hometown of Middelburg. The flowers in this bouquet might be common today, but in the 1600s they were costly rarities. Bosschaert captured their fragile beauty with luminous colors and exquisite detail. Snails, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, and other insects make this "still life" come alive!