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Peapods and Insects
ca. 1650
Artwork Viewer
The Antwerp-born painter Jan van Kessel II specialized in small, meticulously detailed renderings of insects, plants, and flowers. These were eagerly sought after by collectors interested in natural history and art that rivaled nature’s creations. Painted on a thin sheet of copper to achieve a highly smooth surface, this miniature study of insects and peapods reflects Van Kessel’s ability to observe closely the distinctive features of each specimen, in the spirit of scientific discovery that flourished in the seventeenth century.
- Artist
- Jan van Kessel the Elder
- Title
- Peapods and Insects
- Date
- ca. 1650
- Object Type
- Painting
- Medium
- Oil on copper
- Dimensions
- 5 3/8 x 7 1/2 in. (13.7 x 19.1 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Rheem
- Accession Number
- 58.42.2