Jan van Os's Still Life with Carnations and Exotic Fruit at VMFA
Jan van Os (1744–1808), one of the last great Dutch still-life painters, created 'Still Life with Carnations and Exotic Fruit' around the 1770s. The oil-on-wood painting (68.26 × 52.07 cm) is held by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. Van Os, based in The Hague, exported works to English, French, and German collectors. The composition features a pineapple—a luxury status symbol in the 17th–18th centuries—alongside variegated carnations, white roses, grapes, blueberries, pears, melon, walnuts, and pomegranate. A black fly on a grape reflects scientific interest in entomology. The arrangement combines summer and autumn fruits, an artificial yet believable depiction. Variegated flowers were prized, referencing tulip mania (1634–1637). The painting's triangular composition creates stability, with the apex at the carnation and pineapple. Symbolism suggests themes of love and loss through broken stems and flower colors.
Key facts
- Jan van Os (1744–1808) was a Dutch still-life painter.
- The painting is dated ca. 1770s.
- Medium: oil on wood.
- Dimensions: 68.26 × 52.07 cm (26 7/8 × 20 1/2 in.).
- Location: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA, USA.
- Van Os lived and worked in The Hague.
- He exported works to English, French, and German collectors.
- Pineapple was a luxury status symbol in the 17th–18th centuries.
- Variegated flowers were highly prized, referencing tulip mania (1634–1637).
- A black fly is depicted with realistic detail, reflecting entomology advances.
- The composition uses a triangular arrangement for stability.
- Fruits from different seasons are combined artificially.
Entities
Artists
- Jan van Os
- Jan van Huysum
Institutions
Locations
- Richmond
- Virginia
- USA
- The Hague
- Netherlands