Lot 2054 Dα

The Haarlem painter Willem Claesz Heda cultivated the so-called "Monochrome Banketje", the food still life with a very reduced colour palette and extremely tranquil composition, with unusual perseverance. Their quiet, at first seemingly unspectacular effect is compensated by the subtle nuances of the colour scale and the brilliance of the metallic tones, the reflections of light and the precise drawing.

Willem Heda's paintings usually include filled wine glasses, Groningen silver goblets or Chinese porcelain bowls. If they feature fruit, then at most a half-peeled lemon, or a piece of bread. As in the present painting, Heda always presents his subjects against a neutral, usually grey background. What is unusual here, however, is the stone niche. A very similar composition appeared on the art market a few years ago (Sotheby's, London 9.07.2009, lot 134). This painting was also dated 1649. It shows the same pictorial motifs, but arranged somewhat differently.

Heda is known to have lived in Haarlem between 1631 and 1668. In 1631 he became head of the Haarlem Guild of St. Luke. Among his pupils were Arnoldus Beerensteyn in 1637, Maerten Boelema in 1642, Hendrik Herschoop and his son Gerrit Willemsz Heda. Other than this, not much is known about his life, but his works can still be found in the most important museums throughout the world.
We thank Dr. Fred Meijer for confirming this painting as the work of Willem Claesz. Heda.