(Antwerp circa 1580–1623/24)
An artichoke and shrimps on pewter plates, pastry on a tazza, a roemer on a gilt stand, a glass, a salt cellar, a bread and a knife on a table,
oil on panel, 51 x 67 cm, framed

Provenance:
with Hallsborough Gallery, 1960;
Private collection, London,
sale, Christie’s, London, 4 July 1986, lot 47 (as Osias Beert);
Private collection;
sale, Christie’s, London, 24 May 1991, lot 29 (as Osias Beert I);
Private European collection

Literature:
E. Greindl, Les Peintres Flamands de Nature Morte au XVIIe Siècle, 1983, p. 191, figs. 32 and 337, cat. no. 92 (as Osias Beert l’Ancien)

The present painting is registered in the RKD database under no. 0000191404 as Manner of/after Osias Beert (I) or Osias Beert (I)’.

Technical analysis by Gianluca Poldi:

IR reflectography images show traces of a thin underdrawing and the covering of three spherical fruits between the bread and the plate of shrimps: probably three cherries.

The black background was painted before finishing the elements overlapping on it, but their shape was previously reserved with small changes. Painted with great accuracy, pigments include azurite mixed with lead-based yellow to obtain green colours, and the same blue mineral pigment together with lead white and black in some grey areas. Carmine-based red lake was used in the vine glass and in the artichoke hearts. Then vermillion and different ochre and brown earths. Technique and pigments are coherent with the 17th century.