ASSTEYN, Bartholomeus

(b. 1607 Dordrecht, d. ~1667 Dordrecht)

Dutch painter. Dordrecht artist Bartholomeus Assteyn is believed to have gained his training from his father Abraham Bartolomeusz., following which, in 1631, he became a member of the painters’ guild in Dordrecht. He spent his career painting still-lifes in the tradition of the Middelburg school. Early works reveal the clear influence of paintings by the Bosschaert family and Balthasar van der Ast. The elements that make up his compositions, from the tulips and the pink rose to the lizard and flies, appear in many of his paintings and, like the Middelburg painters, he used them in various combinations throughout his career. His later paintings reveal the influence of Jan Davidsz. and Cornelis de Heem.

Assteyn’s oeuvre is quite small, only 23 dated works painted between 1628 and 1659 are known.

Still-Life

The painting represents a still-life with roses, tulips, carnations, lily-of-the-valley, marigolds, forget-me-nots, columbine, a snake’s head fritillary and other flowers in a decorated blue porcelain vase, together with a red admiral, a grasshopper and a snail, all in a stone niche. It is signed and dated lower left: B. Asftijn/1635.

The speciality of this Dordrecht artist was painted baskets of flowers or fruit combined with individual fruits, flowers and insects.

Send Postcard Learn More

Still-Life

This signed and dated painting depicts a still-life of grapes, cherries, peaches and other fruit in a basket, with a rose and a dragonfly on a stone ledge.

Send Postcard Learn More