Vase of Flowers

Compared to flower still-lifes of the early seventeenth century, this painting is a real floral explosion. Rather than a stiff bouquet, we see a colourful profusion of flowers hanging over the edge of the vase. One special detail is the reflection in the glass vase, which shows a cloudy sky through the studio window and a few objects on the windowsill. Jan Davidsz de Heem was the most influential …