Still Life with a Silver Candlestick

Pieter van Roestraeten (in circa 1696)

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Evelyn asked

What is in the paper on the table: is it tea leaves?
Painting St 131
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Hi Evelyn, yes, you have seen it correcty, on the parchment paper there are green tea leaves. The painting opposes earthly delights (at that time drinking tea was very fashionable and luxurious; tea was supposed to add to one's amorous life) to vanitas symbolism (extinguished candle). KInd regards, Els

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The most important object on the painting is the silver candlestick, probably made by the London silver smith Anthony Nelme and dating from 1693-1694. The recently extinguished candle is a frequently used vanitas symbol: just as a candle irrevocably burns out, so each human life will come to an end.

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Specifications

Title	Still Life with a Silver Candlestick
Material and technique	Oil on canvas
Object type	Painting > Painting > Two-dimensional object > Art object
Location	This object is in storage

Dimensions	Width 59,5 cm Height 71,9 cm
Artists	Painter: Pieter van Roestraeten
Accession number	St 131
Credits	Loan Stichting Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, 1966
Department	Old Masters
Acquisition date	1966
Creation date	in circa 1696
Internal exhibitions	De collectie als tijdmachine (2017)
External exhibitions	A Global Table (2017) Boijmans bij de Buren - REMIX ROTTERDAM, Boijmans X Wereldmuseum (2020)
Research	Alma
Material	Oil > Paint > Artist's material > Material > Material and technique Canvas > Worked fibres > Fibre > Vegetable material > Organic material > Material > Material and technique
Object	Painting > Painting > Two-dimensional object > Art object
Geographical origin	England > Great Britian > United Kingdom > Northern Europe > Europe