“Still Life with Silver-gilt Tazza” is a Baroque era still life painting by the artist Clara Peeters. The artwork is part of a private collection. Peeters was known for her detailed still life compositions, often including items such as food, flowers, and precious objects, which reflected both the abundance and the transience of life.
The artwork is a rich and detailed composition that includes a variety of objects arranged on a dark surface against a similarly dark background, which highlights the subjects. At the center, there’s a large, intricately designed silver-gilt tazza, an ornamental cup or bowl on a stem and foot, filled with what appears to be white and red grapes. The tazza stands on a plate with detailed decorative edges, showcasing Peeters’ skill in rendering reflective surfaces and textures.
To the left of the tazza is a wicker basket brimming with assorted fruit, including apples, pears, and possibly a walnut, all rendered with careful attention to their individual textures and colors. A lone apple and pear lie on the table surface, implying a casual abundance. To the right, a squirrel adds a dynamic and somewhat whimsical element to the scene, nibbling on a nut. This creature is not only a testament to Peeters’ observational skills but also might symbolize foison or gathering for the future.
In the foreground, two cooked lobsters on a dark plate provide a stark contrast in color and form to the otherwise earth-toned palette of the still life. Scattered nuts around the surface add depth and detail to the composition. The reflective qualities of the tazza and the plate, the translucency of the grapes, and the lifelike textures of the fauna vividly demonstrate the artist’s ability to capture different materials. This still life is as much a display of affluence and luxury as it is a showcase of the artist’s virtuosity in capturing the subtleties of light and texture.
