Still Life with a Silver Pitcher

Abraham van Beijeren (in 1660 - 1665)

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Doris Chan asked

May I know if there are any meanings that van Beijeren painted himself on the pitcher? Is it a trend during the Golden Age, or is it just a kind of sense of pride of artists during that period of time/his own personal preferences?
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen answered

Dear Doris,

Abraham van Beijeren made twelve ‘sumptuous still lifes’ with the same pitcher on it. He probably did this for the same reason people appreciate this today. When you see the painter in the pitcher for the first time, it feels like a discovery. Only the people who watch attentively will see this detail. However, it doesn’t have any further symbolic meaning. Pride is probably also an important element, but it is also ‘proof’ that it is painted after life. A way to show the public that it is portrayed as realistically as possible. There is a tradition with these kind of reflections by painters, one example is Clara Peters.

Kind regards,
Nina

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The silver pitcher, which has a prominent place in this luxury still life, also appears in no less than twelve still lifes by Van Beyeren. The painter is reflected in the pitcher, wearing a hat and painting with his left hand. The rich still life also includes a Persian carpet, a porcelain bowl with exotic fruits and an embossed silver platter.

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Specifications

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

Dimensions	Width 88 cm Height 102,5 cm
Artists	Painter: Abraham van Beijeren
Accession number	VdV 2
Credits	Loan Foundation Willem van der Vorm, 1972
Department	Old Masters
Acquisition date	1972
Creation date	in 1660 - 1665
Collector	Collector / Willem van der Vorm
Internal exhibitions	De verzameling Willem van der Vorm. Schilderijen van Hollandse en Franse meesters uit de 17e en 19e eeuw (1950) The Collection Enriched (2011) De collectie als tijdmachine (2017)
Research	Show research Alma
Material	Canvas > Worked fibres > Fibre > Vegetable material > Organic material > Material > Material and technique Oil > Paint > Artist's material > Material > Material and technique
Object	Painting > Painting > Two-dimensional object > Art object
Geographical origin	Northern Netherlands > The Netherlands > Western Europe > Europe

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All about the artist

Abraham van Beijeren

Den Haag 1620/1621 - Overschie 1690

Abraham van Beijeren's name appeared in 1816 as Aelbert van Beijeren in the book 'History of the Fatherland's painting art' by Van Eijnden and Van de Willigen....

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