Flower still life with an imperial crown in a stone niche

Flower still-life painting is considered a typical Dutch genre, of which this exceptionally large picture is one of the earliest and most spectacular examples. Jacob Vosmaer painted a riot of flowers, including rare as well as precious specimens, such as the orange Crown Imperial (top) from Asia. He created a narrative composition by means of the blossoms' graceful animation, the cracks in the walls, the fallen leaves and the little mouse.