Cornelis Jacobsz Delff

CORNELIS JACOBSZ DELFF (1570-1643).
"Still life of a pantry.
Oil on canvas. Relined.
Attached report issued by Dr. Fred G. Meijer.
It has restorations.
It has a 20th century frame.
Signed in the upper right area.
Measurements: 130 x 202 cm; 235 x 164 cm (frame).
In this exuberant image, the artist, presents us with a great display of his technical quality which is evident in the game of capturing the numerous elements that make up the image, but at the same time in the ambiguity with which he conceives the scene. At first sight it appears to be a still life with figures, a very popular genre in Flanders. However, on observing the figure of the woman, it can be seen that she is not dressed like a simple shopkeeper, as her clothing and the pearl hanging from one of her ears make her a far cry from the popular idea. Behind her, a man is besieging her, leaning his face against her neck and offering her a glass of wine. This characteristic imbues the work with a gallant theme that is contextualised behind a prolific, rich and diverse still life. The still life with large figures of the Flemish school originated in the 16th century in the works of Pieter Aertsen (1508-1575) and Joachim Beuckelaer (1533-1574). Both painters produced large paintings that advanced the Baroque style through their naturalism and scenographic value, although they still show the variegation of elements typical of Mannerism. Pieter Aerstsen created a formula that consisted of placing the figure in the foreground, surrounded by large-scale foodstuffs, always depicted with particular attention to quality and detail in the Flemish tradition. Beuckelaer, a pupil of Aertsen, took this model created by his master and used it to depict religious scenes, which are always secondary to still lifes. In the 17th century the genre of the still life with figures became very important in the Flemish school, with compositions that were already more dynamic and theatrical, fully in keeping with the Baroque style, as we see here.
A still-life painter, he was the son and pupil of Jacob Willemsz Delff: apart from the dates of his birth and death, no other biographical details are known. Stylistically, he belongs to that group of Dutch painters who began to paint still lifes inspired by all the Flemish market and kitchen scenes in which figures are still present. In the few works attributed to him, there is a predilection for painting the surfaces of copper and brass plates, the gleam of which is often reflected in the glass. Fish, birds (which demonstrates the soft consistency of the feathers) and fruit are frequently present, their thick background consisting of wooden planks and dark tones. The composition shows little vigour in the assemblage of objects, with a predilection for the combination of simple forms, with mostly two-dimensional effects.