Still Life with Vase of Flowers, Flanders 17th century

Attributed to Abraham Brueghel
(Antwerp 1631 - Naples 1697)

Still Life with Vase of Flowers  (I/II)

Oil on canvas
77 x 59 cm. - Framed 104 x 86 cm.

Work accompanied by expertise by Prof. Emilio Negro

Very good condition

The pendant of the painting is also available (viewable at the following link)


The painting depicts a marvellous still life of flowers, where the numerous multicoloured buds, finished with surprising painterly skill, are gathered in a large vase placed on a shelf: bells, tulips, hyacinths, anemones and other species make up the composition, skilfully placed against a dark background to bring out the supple shapes of the stems, leaves and above all the bright, dazzling colours of the petals.

The work of a skilled floral painter trained in the prestigious Flemish tradition of the 17th century is evident, although there is at the same time, in the decisive execution and luministic sensitivity, a typically Mediterranean verve, which is evident in the soft and balanced arrangements of the bright colours of the buds.

For these reasons it is easy to identify this work as a fundamental testimony of the Roman activity of Abraham Brueghel (Antwerp 1631 - Naples 1697), the great still life painter who lived during the Grand Siècle between Flanders, Rome, Naples and Sicily.

He exhibits all his Baroque exuberance and Nordic talent for the precise description of various floral types, marking the evolution of Capitoline still life in the second half of the 17th century.

We must also not forget the exceptional painting tradition of the Brueghel family dynasty, which our artist expresses with absolute mastery and modernity, particularly in his innovative scenic and luministic conception, which brilliantly delineates forms and embellishes tones.

Arriving in the Eternal City in 1659, Abraham Brueghel quickly achieved great success and was fully welcomed into the difficult Roman artistic world, where he was noticed by Prince Antonio Ruffo, who made him an established and sought-after painter among the prestigious collectors of the time, eager to possess his creations.

In Rome, he soon established himself as one of the city's leading naturamortists, and the work in question, dating from around the decade 1660-1670, is to be placed precisely during his stay in Rome, where his compositions are clearly inspired by the work of the Roman painter Mario Nuzzi.

Finally, it should be added that Brueghel's paintings depicting only flowers, such as the one proposed, are very rare, certainly dating from before his move from Rome to Naples in 1671.

To convince oneself of the proposed attribution, one need only compare the canvas under examination with other still lifes recognised as belonging to Abraham Brueghel, such as:

- Still Life with Flowers, signed and dated 1670 (Private Collection)

- Still Life with Carnations, Lilies, Nigellas and Other Flowers in a Decorative Vase, signed lower left (Dorotheum Vienna 30.04.2019)

- Still Life with Flowers, (Hampel Munich, 23 September 2021,)

- Still Life with Vase of Flowers (Private Collection)

- Still Life with Vase of Flowers (Pardo, Paris)

- Still Life with Roses, Chrysanthemums and Tulips in an Ornate Silver Vase on a Stone Pedestal (Sotheby's London, 09 June 2015)

In these paintings, like ours, joyful, velvety colours stand out, obtained with a soft pictorial impasto, while the subjects depicted are arranged in a refined taste that highlights the similar arrangement also common to other works attributed to the Flemish master.