Still Lifes of Vertu
Updated: May 19, 2022
This still life with shells, porcelain, and glass vessels was my casual backdrop for a day of photo editing for Vertu Art + Design.
I have collected, displayed, and photographed the type of useful and beautiful objects one finds in 17th-century Dutch still lifes for many years. From humble to refined objects, my desired result is an informal immediacy. Here flowers are placed loosely in a large, round contemporary glass vase exhibiting a maker's seal (of the kind found on wine bottles centuries ago). A piece of vintage green Venetian glass (Roemer) hides behind an English stoneware oval plate with linen and French silver knife. The orange is peeled with its skin cascading in a spiral one finds in late 17th-century depictions. The French stoneware tureen is a chippy family heirloom. I always mix contemporary pieces with historic ones, a near-and-far psychology at work. I find that collections / objects layered in time, material and geography make well-rounded compositions.
Photo by J. Franks
Original Post: January 10, 2016