Roses, a poppy, bougainvillea, peonies, morning glory, primulas and a coxcomb in a terracotta vase with a bird's nest on a marble ledge, a landscape beyond

Father of a dynasty of artists, Jan van Os moved to the Hague at a young age, where he was to study under Aert Schouman. Most of his early work consists of seascapes painted in the manner of Jan van de Cappelle and Willem van de Velde. Although he continued to paint in this genre throughout his life, he became best known for his still lifes which, like this picture, owe much to the example of Jan van Huysum. Van Os's work was valued highly both in England, where he exhibited at the Society of Arts in London from 1773 to 1791, and in France and Germany.