After Evert van Aelst (Delft, 1602 – 1657), Still Life

After Evert van Aelst (Delft, 1602 – 1657), Still Life Oil on panel, 69 x 84 cm With frame, 95 x 109 cm The composition in question is characterized by an elegant lightness. The fruit is scattered freely on a stone ledge, while some apples and grapes are presented in a painted ceramic tray. A vase of flowers dominates the left side of the painting, breaking the horizontal pattern and energizing the composition. The style appears to derive from that of some late works by Balthasar Van Der Ast, born in Middleburg in 1593-94. In 1632, Ast settled in Delft, where he lived almost until his death in 1657. It seems plausible that the signature is that of a painter who borrows the style of Evert Van Aelst (Delft 1602 – February 19, 1657), also under the influence of Van Der Ast. Distinguished by a rather linear, orderly, and analytical style, Balthasar's compositions have influenced the present representation with the monochrome background, the insects in the background, and the presence of decorated ceramics. See the two still lifes by the master in reference, the first kept at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge (UK), and the second appeared on the antique market. Evert Van Aelst, also known as Everald Aalst, was made famous by his still life paintings of game, fish, and vases. He was partly influenced by Pieter Claesz and, as previously mentioned, by Balthasar Van Der Ast. He spent four years in France and seven in Italy. The Grand Duke of Tuscany became his patron and rewarded him generously for his works. Back in Holland, he settled in Delft, where he opened a workshop specializing in still lifes. Emanuel De Witte, his nephew Willem, and Jacob Denys were his students. The painting also has plausible connections with the early works of Willem Van Aelst (1627-1683 at the earliest), nephew and pupil of Evert Van Aelst. The panel, based on stylistic and compositional analysis, can be traced back to the early youth phase of Evert Van Aelst, still finding traces of the primitive character influences of Balthasar Van Der Ast. See in this regard the pears by Aelst kept in the Sir William Bird collection (UK), or those that appeared on the antique market depicting a similar ceramic vase with flowers, a floral composition with poppies with the same rendering, and a fruit composition in the same style. In the second phase, the compositions will become more articulated and distinguished by greater complexity. His works are kept in the Suermondt Ludwig Museum in Aachen, the Harvard Art Museum in Cambridge, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.