In a glass vase resting on a stone plinth, a sumptuous bouquet unfolds, featuring a wide variety of flowers: roses, tulips, peonies, carnations, nasturtiums, bindweed, cornflowers and marigolds, alongside blackberries and an ear of wheat. The whole scene, rendered with extreme meticulousness, bears witness to the Flemish taste for compositions that are both naturalistic and symbolic. The freshness of the petals, the translucency of the glass and the droplets of water accentuate the illusion of life. The contrast between the vibrant flowers and the dark background highlights the brilliance and harmony of the colours. 

The bouquets of flowers painted by Nicolas van Verendael follow in the tradition of Jan Davidsz. de Heem, with whom he was close in Antwerp. These compositions go beyond mere decorative pleasure: they invite a symbolic interpretation. Each flower or fruit may evoke the fragility of life and the vanity of earthly possessions (roses and peonies wilt quickly, bindweed closes up, and berries are perishable). The ear of wheat suggests fertility and rebirth, whilst the juxtaposition of the living and the ephemeral illustrates the Baroque meditation on the fleeting nature of time. 

Van Verendael’s art follows in the tradition of Jan Davidsz. de Heem, from whom he borrows a taste for opulent bouquets and a richness of texture. However, he is distinguished by a greater delicacy in his treatment of the petals and a certain restraint in his composition, which bring him closer to Daniel Seghers, another great Antwerp painter of garlands. Whereas de Heem plays on exuberance and lavish staging, Van Verendael favours a more intimate and refined approach, lending his bouquets a sophisticated charm much prized by collectors.

Nicolas van Verendael (1640–1691), the son of a figure painter, was a member of the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp from 1656. A specialist in still lifes of flowers and garlands, he worked in the tradition of Jan Davidsz. de Heem and Daniel Seghers. His work, characterised by great delicacy, features refined and highly detailed compositions that play on transparency and reflections. His bouquets and garlands were highly sought after by Flemish and European collectors.
 

Richard Green, London