At the end of the sixteenth century, artists in the Northern and Southern Netherlands began producing still lifes depicting food on laid tables. These paintings, filled with a variety of foods and precious objects recall the vast wealth that was gathered in this part of Europe. The way in which various artists have worked out the details in these food still lifes remains stunning to this day.
During the spring of 2017, an exhibition will be devoted to this particular phenomenon for the first time. Flemish painter Clara Peeters, of which the Mauritshuis acquired a major still life a few years ago, and Haarlem painter Floris van Dijck will play key roles in the exhibition. Their work anticipates that of later Haarlem masters such as Pieter Claesz and Willem Heda, the best known representatives of the genre.