| Now esteemed as one of the leading still-life painters from The Hague, van Beyeren is best known for his elaborate banquet pieces or pronk still lifes featuring fruits, fish, lobsters, and precious objects crowded on a tabletop covered with velvet or damask. His oeuvre was, however, more extensive and included marine subjects, flower pieces, and vanitas still lifes. In 1640 van Beyeren was accepted as a member of the St. Luke's Guild in The Hague. The repetition of certain details suggests that he re-used drawings in creating his paintings, though it is evident from his sensitivity to textures and light that direct observation must also have played a role. Vanitas subjects appear occasionally, flower pieces are thought to have been produced only after 1650. His seascapes tend to concentrate on turbulent waters, stormy skies, and wind-tossed boats. A fine example is preserved in The Hague. Scholars generally assume that van Beyeren's work neither found recognition nor fetched high prices. Perhaps the diversity of his output is explained by this financial difficulty, as van Beyeren tried different subjects in order to compete on one level or another in the difficult and highly competitive market place. |
