Spanish school; 17th century.

Spanish school; XVII century.
"Still life with meat and vegetables".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It presents Repainting and restorations on the pictorial surface.
Measurements: 67 x 88 cm; 85 x 112 cm (frame).
From a high perspective, the artist of this scene presents us a still life characterized by its singularity. The elements are arranged on a completely dark neutral background, thus enhancing each of them in their monumentality and forms, although it should be noted that at the same time an illusionistic effect is created. In fact even the dimensions of foods such as zucchini seem distorted. It is worth noting that the hyperbolic descriptions of paintings in classical literature placed great value on mimesis or imitation of the natural world. This challenge helped to explain the elaborate naturalism of still life painting, from its very emergence as an independent and defined genre, as well as the illusionistic character of some of its earliest examples in the still life school.
The still life in Spain was one of the most characteristic genres and, due to its special peculiarities, it is clearly differentiated from the same subject in workshops in the rest of Europe. The term appeared already at the end of the 16th century, and stands out in this school for its austerity, in clear contrast with the Flemish sumptuousness, although with a series of influences from the latter and the Italian school. Sánchez Cotán's works were so successful that his style had numerous followers (Juan de Espinosa, Antonio Ponce, Juan van der Hamen y León, etc.). In this context, the Sevillian school contributed its own particularities, thanks, above all, to Velázquez and Zurbarán. Highly appreciated within the antiquarian market, as well as among collectors and art historians, the Spanish Baroque still life school enjoyed a spectacular development, leaving behind the splendors of the 16th century and progressing within a fully Baroque and clearly identifiable style. In Spain the development of the genre was clearly marked by Italian influence, specifically by the contribution of the Neapolitan school. Currently this school is considered one of the most outstanding within the still life, due to its long historical tradition.