Philips de Marlier (Antwerp 1600 - 1668)
Large flower bouquet
147 x 107 cm (57 ⁷/₈ x 42 ¹/₈ inches)
Oil on canvas
17th century
A large bouquet of flowers is arranged in a vase on a table. The composition is vertical and pyramidal, occupying almost the entire height of the image. The background is neutral and dark, with no architectural or landscape elements, which highlights the bouquet. The baluster-shaped vase is placed at the bottom centre of the composition. It is decorated and placed on a flat surface, probably a wooden table, visible by a slight protrusion of the tabletop and a few fallen petals in the foreground.
The bouquet brings together a wide variety of flowers, recognisable by their shapes and colours: tulips, roses, lilies, carnations, anemones, ranunculus and other wildflowers. The flowers are depicted at different stages of bloom, some still in bud, others fully open or slightly wilted. The stems, leaves and flowers intertwine, creating a dense and abundant composition.
The colour palette is rich, dominated by shades of red, pink, white, yellow and orange, contrasting with the deep greens of the foliage and the dark background. The soft, diffused light illuminates the bouquet evenly, highlighting the textures of the petals, the delicacy of the leaves and the botanical details. The whole is painted with great attention to detail, both in the rendering of the flowers and in that of the vase and secondary elements, giving the scene a precise and meticulous character.
