Still Life with Fruit

This richly-detailed still-life is a fine example of the Netherlandish tradition of flower painting. Purchased
by Henry Clay Frick in 1896, it marks Frick’s first
venture into collecting old masters.

Van Os was a follower of the tradition of Netherlandish flower painting begun by his famous predecessors, Jan Breugel the Elder (1570-1645), Ambrosius Bosschaert (1573-1621) and Jan van Huysum (1682-1749). In this painting, even the smallest objects—insects, snails, and water droplets—are perfectly delineated. The assortment of spring flowers and late summer fruit depicted never existed in the real world. Van Os created splendid imaginary arrangements based on individual watercolor studies he made of each specimen in season.