Vase of Flowers
by FYT, Jan, Oil on panel, 82 x 71 cm
Although the oeuvre of Jan Fyt covers the same themes as that of Snyders, and deals with them in a comparable manner, he does not really belong to the School of Rubens. Whereas Snyders’ work is rich in glowing colours, Jan Fyt’s coloration is darkened by deep shadows which give his paintings a cooler mood. He had a remarkably sensitive eye for the feel of things - rough or smooth - and the way light plays on them, conveying all this with great subtlety of brushwork and colour. His Vase of Flowers shows surprising spontaneity, which gives this canvas a far more modern spirit than the work of his contemporaries.
Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 7 minutes):
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker, ballet suite, op. 71, Waltz of the Flowers