Pieter Claesz Circle

Circle of PIETER CLAESZ (Burgsteinfurt, ca. 1597-Haarlem, 1660).
"Still lifes."
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Measurements: 52 x 80 cm (x2); 68 x 97 cm (frames, x2).
In both compositions are represented tables with food along with objects such as cups, plates or jars, arranged with an apparent spontaneity that actually responds to a careful organization. These scenes, known as "breakfast still lifes" or ontbijtjes, reflect the daily life of the Dutch bourgeoisie, but also contain a symbolic meaning related to the transience of pleasures and the transience of life.The style is characterized by a meticulous realism, visible in the detailed representation of textures ,the crust of bread, the shine of metal or the skin of fruits, as well as a sober palette dominated by warm and earthy tones that unify the scene. The light plays a fundamental role, creating subtle reflections on the objects and providing depth and volume. The composition, balanced and serene, combines horizontal lines (the table and plates) with vertical elements such as pitchers or glasses, generating a sense of stability and visual harmony.
The influence of Pieter Claesz in these works is evident. His preference for monochromatic tones and chromatic restraint is clearly visible, as is his interest in everyday objects, treated with aesthetic dignity without resorting to ostentation. In addition, we can perceive that silent atmosphere, suspended in time, so characteristic of his production, as if the scene had been stopped just after a banquet.

Important Dutch painter who worked in the city of Haarlem, father of N. Berchem. He was a great master within the genre of still life, especially he was unique when it came to making kitchen utensils, especially metal and clay jugs. Like the "monochromatic still life painters", Claesz was very careful with the pictorial effect of the folds of the tablecloths, giving them a greater realism to the scene. His earliest works are very similar to those of Willem Claesz. Over time, his style became more precise and at the same time looser, richer and more personal, giving his works such a personal touch that they can be recognized as his as soon as they are seen. He usually varied in his compositions, but not in the backgrounds, which he normally painted in shades of brown, ochre and grayish green, on which a lemon or a glass full of red wine stands out in a very evident way. Around 1652 he occasionally collaborated with his disciple and successor R. Koets. Claesz had an obvious influence on the early works of A. van Beyeren and S. Luttichuys. Because they have the same initials, his works have often been confused with those of Clara Peeters.