Exhibition of one painting - Abraham van Beyeren "Fruit" (Second half of the 17th century)

On January 20, the Kaluga Museum of Fine Arts will open the exhibition of one painting - Abraham van Beyeren "Fruits" (Second half of the 17th century). To the 400th anniversary of the artist’s birth.

In the history of the Netherlands, the 17th century is called "Golden". The Republic of the United Provinces gained independence from Spain. This is a time of great prosperity in trade, science and art. Painting at that time was distinguished by its high artistic qualities, a wide variety of themes and genres.

The genre of still life was in great demand. It best reflected the world of private life, extremely important for the bourgeoisie - the most influential and progressive class of the Netherlands. There were many varieties of still lifes. According to the views of those years, the objects depicted in the work were endowed with symbolic meaning.

Abraham van Beyeren (1620/1621 - 1690) - Dutch painter. He is one of the greatest masters of the 17th century, who worked in the genre of still life and seascape.

Unfortunately, there is little information about the artist’s life. His exact year of birth is unknown. Abraham van Beyeren was born in The Hague to a family of artisans between 1620 and 1621. By 1636 he studied painting with Timan Arenz Kracht, a master of historical and landscape genres, influenced by the creative manner of Caravaggio. Van Beyeren’s life consisted of many travels to different cities. After training, he worked in Leiden, then in The Hague, Amsterdam, Alkmaar and Overschy (a suburb of Rotterdam), where he died in March 1690.

The artist was in financial difficulties. He often gave his paintings for a song. His works, which did not have much success among contemporaries, were appreciated only in subsequent eras and became adornments of many European collections. The master’s painting "Fruits" is one of the masterpieces in the collection of the Kaluga Museum of Fine Arts.

It belongs to a number of so-called "desserts" - still lifes, in which the painter van Beyeren actively worked. A glass, a jug and a vase are on the table, covered with a dark cloth. There are fruits on the plates, as well as on the table. The viewer is attracted by the liveliness and expressiveness of the composition, which reflects the observant gaze of the master. He highlights a variety of forms, combines them with each other, emphasizes the features of different textures. Each object presented in a still life has its own uniqueness. These are not randomly assembled objects, but an artistically constructed universe of everyday life of a long bygone era. In the center of the composition there is a contrast of tall metal vessels with a light Chinese vase painted with blue paints. The shiny surface of the silver jug reflects everything nearby like a mirror.In this you can see the skill of conveying reality. Fruits, berries, and nuts are depicted with a high degree of vitality. A cut peach, a chopped nut, a pear with a blackening side - a kind of allegory of a fleeting human life, in which everything is impermanent and imperfect. There is a window behind, through which you can see the landscape. It is painted in muted shades of gray and brown. The modesty of nature is contrasted with the richness of the home environment.The modesty of nature is contrasted with the richness of the home environment.The modesty of nature is contrasted with the richness of the home environment.

The exhibition will run until March 3.