The Five Senses

An inside room opening onto the countryside contains a console table, on which a number of objects referring to the five senses have been arranged. This symbolism is quite frequent in 17th century European painting. Both the vase of flowers and the perfume burner, placed in the centre of the composition, represent smell, the apple is taste, the mirror (in which the sculpture is reflected) stands for sight, while hearing is represented by the trumpet and the bell. The rich brocade cloths that cover the right-hand side of the table symbolise touch.

The painter Manerius, whose Latinised signature could not be identified until now, shows us a style similar to that of those French artists educated in Italy, which was probably his origin and training. He called himself the “almae urbis accademicus” - perhaps in reference to the fact that he was an academic at San Lucas in Rome, on the assumption that the definition “almae urbis” refers to the Italian capital, the mother city of the art that nourished the best artists.

Stylistically, although the background landscape could evoke Italian influences, the flower vase is reminiscent of Flemish models, and it appears obvious that the structure of the fireplace was based on engravings. All in all, the conception and arrangement of the still-life elements, and even their treatment, is a reminder of the 17th century French painters of this genre. The accumulation of elements, the pursuit of decoration, the attempt to achieve the qualities of the objects and their bright, warm and pleasant colouring, all stylistically define the painting.