Idea for Representative Piece

Artist: Peter Claesz (Dutch- 1596/7-1690)

Title: Still Life with Two Lemons, a Facon de Venise, Glass, Roemer, Knife and Olives on a Table

Medium: Oil on Wood

Time: 1629

Claesz was known as the leading representative of the monochromatic still life in the Netherlands. In his piece, he represented middle class life style. Generally he was thought of to choose objects with a more "homely" feel. Claesz focuses on reflection which is present among the glass, metal silverware, and dishes which reflect the monochromatic color scheme.

I chose this piece because I enjoyed seeing all the reflective surfaces and attention to detail. Of all the pieces I saw at the museum this one stood out because I like reflections. All the objects affect one another; they are not independent. This quality is emphasized through his chosen monochromatic color scheme.