Every artist and designer has media outside of their own platforms that they rely on for inspiration. I tend to look at fashion and architecture, but by far my biggest inspiration is art. I don’t necessarily need to look at floral still life’s, though it’s always fun to revisit the Dutch Golden Age masters (which is what I’ve been doing for the past couple days).
Probably the most realistic trait of these paintings is the artfully messy style of stems spilling over one another, twisting down, spiraling out (not all flowers stand perfectly upright! This is okay!) So it’s nice to see the natural movement of a tulip snaking sideways, or a top heavy garden rose spilling down the vessel (do we hate the word vessel? I realize I use it all the time but it sounds so pretentious).
There’s an interesting history to the flower market during the Baroque period, when flowers were considered a luxury (even more so than today) and a single Semper Augustus tulip (the red + white striped featured in nearly every painting below) could sell for as much as an Amsterdam home(!).
The perfect inspiration for the upcoming spring season. I’ll be thinking of these pieces, and their color juxtaposition (no more blush for brides? We’ll see) when I visit the local Philly farms.
Here are some of my favorites.
Talk soon,
Rose

Flower still life, Rachel Ruysch

Flower still life/Vase of flowers, Jan Davidsz. de Heem

Flower still life, Simon Pietersz Verelst

Still life with flowers in a glass vase, Jan Davidsz. de Heem

Still life with flowers and clock on the table, Willem van Aelst