Still life with cheeses, bread and nuts - Floris van Schooten (1585 - 1656)

FLORIS VAN SCHOOTEN
(Haarlem c. 1585 - 1656)
Still life with cheeses, bread and nuts
Oil on panel
Signed with monogram on the blade of the knife: “FVS”
Dimensions: 40 x 56 cm, 52 x 69 cm (framed)


THE ARTWORK
This exquisitely detailed still life captures an array of cheeses, bread, and nuts, arranged on plates and a tablecloth in harmonious balance. The composition reflects Floris van Schooten's ability to evoke texture and form, from the creamy, dense cheeses to the crusty bread and smooth surfaces of the nuts. The quiet elegance of the scene reflects a restrained opulence, typical of Dutch Golden Age still lifes, where everyday objects are elevated through careful arrangement and painterly skill. The play of light and shadow enhances the realistic depiction of the objects, while the monogram on the knife signifies the artist's meticulous attention to personal detail in his works.

THE ARTIST
Floris van Schooten was a Dutch painter celebrated for his diverse range of still life genres, including breakfast pieces, fruit arrangements, market scenes, and elaborate kitchen compositions. His works, numbering over 120, are renowned for their refined simplicity and sense of order.
The monogram “F.v.S” has been attributed to Van Schooten since 1918, thanks to the scholarship of Dutch art historian Abraham Bredius. Of his extensive body of work, only one painting is fully signed—a breakfast still life currently housed in the Von der Heydt Museum in Wuppertal, Germany. Approximately 60 paintings bear his monogram, while many unsigned works are confidently attributed to him based on their style.
Van Schooten’s art was influenced by prominent contemporaries in Haarlem, such as Floris van Dyck, Pieter Claesz, and Roelof Koets. His compositions also reflect a deep understanding of earlier Antwerp artists like Pieter Aertsen and Joachim Beuckelaer. These influences led him to simplify the large-scale market scenes and still lifes of his predecessors, introducing a sense of tranquility and balance that became a hallmark of his work.
Unlike many of his peers, Van Schooten was not confined to a single genre; his versatility is evident in his ability to masterfully depict varied still life scenes, blending elements of daily life with artistic elegance.