Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels by Clara Peeters (Interpretation and Analysis)

Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels
Source: The Mauritshuis

I might be making a generalization, but it seems to me that still life paintings are vastly under appreciated by modern viewers. In my experience, casual museum-goers often dismiss still lifes as boring or unimportant. My goal today is to convince anyone who might be harboring this belief (and is also reading this blog post) that still lifes are, in fact, as interesting as any other piece of art.

Although modern viewers are often dismissive of still lifes, it is important to remember that constructing a still life requires just as much skill as creating a figurative painting. Both require deep consideration of light and composition, among other elements, as well as technical expertise. Furthermore, still lifes contain a symbolic language of their own, with particular flowers, objects, and foods holding specific significance to contemporary viewers. For example, a rose is traditionally a symbol of the Virgin Mary in the language of Western still lifes.

This painting, Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels, is probably my favorite still life. It was executed by Clara Peeters—one of the most successful female artists of the 17th century—who was known for her paintings of food.

The symbolism of food is a little more difficult to discern than the language of flowers (which was well established by this point in Western history). Food is an inherently interesting subject for most people, as love of good food is almost universal among humans. However, my guess is that Peeters’ still lifes were designed to reflect the wealth and prosperity of her patrons through bountiful banquet scenes. 

Peeters lived during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of extraordinary economic growth in the Netherlands after the country gained independence from Spain. Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels depicts luxury items like Chinese porcelain, Venetain glass, and almonds, which probably would have been imported from Spain during this period of history. These imported goods are a nod  towards the booming Dutch shipping industry, and the Netherlands' wealthy merchants, who brought goods from all over the world to Europe. Owning such a painting would have been a status symbol and a subtle indication of the riches the owner of the painting could afford to lay on his or her table.

Aside from this interpretation, the level of technical skill displayed in Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels is simply astonishing. The degree of realism is almost photographic, with every detail meticulously reproduced. The way the light plays off the glass and metal is perfectly replicated, and there is even a tiny self-portrait of the artist reflected in the lid of the jug. The only apocryphal element seems to be the artist’s signature—clearly engraved on the handle of the knife—perhaps a subtle way for the artist to advertise her work to potential customers. 

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.