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Lot Essay
1 Phacelia Phacelia viscida Phacelia
2 London pride Saxifraga cf. umbrosa Schildersverdriet
3 African Marigold Tagetes patula subplena Klein afrikaantje
4 Forget-me-not Myosotis palustris Vergeet-mij-nietje
5 Tea Tree Lycium barbarum Boksdoorn
6 Salmon Peony Paeonia officinalis Salmonea Zalmpioen
7 ochre Slipper Flower Calceolaria scabiosifolia ochrea oker Pantoffelbloem
8 amber Slipper Flower Calceolaria scabiosifolia umbrina amber Pantoffelbloem
9 violet Slipper Flower Calceolaria scabiosifolia violacea paarse Pantoffelbloem
10 red-white Poppy Anemone Anemone coronaria pseudoplena wit-rode Anemonealbo-rubra striata Tuinanemoon
11 yellow-brown Slipper Calceolaria scabiosifolia luteo geel-bruine Flower spadicea Pantoffelbloem
12 Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia Breedbladige lepelboom
13 Rhododendron Rhododendron ponticum Rhododendron
14 Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix Dopheide
15 Bizarde Tulip Tulipa chrysantha x T. clusiana Bizarde tulp
16 Baguette Tulip Tulipa stellata x T. clusiana Baguette tulp
17 Small Morning Glory Convolvulus tricolor Dagschone
18 Mahonia Mahonia aquifolium Mahonie
19 Sun Cactus Heliocereus speciosus Zonnecactus
20 dark Poppy Anemone Anemone coronaria pseudoplena donkere atrata Tuinanemoon
21 Shepherd's Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris Herderstasje
22 Blue Navelwort Omphalodes nitida ? Navelkruid
23 Aaron's Beard Hypericum calycinum Groot hertshooi
24 Flax Linum usitatissimum Vlas
25 Trumpet Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Pijpkamperfoelie
26 Pot Marigold Calendula officinalis Goudsbloem
27 Moutan Peony Paeonia suffruticosa subplena alba Boompioen
28 Bizarde Tulip Tulipa clusiana x T. chrysantha Bizarde tulp
29 white-purple carnation Dianthus caryophyllus plenus wit-purpere albo-purpureus Tuinanemoon
30 Canterbury Bell Campanula medium Marietteklokje
Georgius Jacobus Johannes van Os was a true innovator of flower painting during the first half of the 19th Century, much more than his famous father Jan van Os (1744-1808) who was a follower of the famous flower painter Jan van Huysum (1682-1749). He abandoned the usual brownish or ochre tinted subground layer which had frequenty been used in still life painting for two centuries (with some exceptions), and the smooth finishing with glazes. His variegated palette shows a large number of opaque hues and nuances.
The present lot is a truly monumental work by the leading still life painter of his time. It reveals the extent to which Van Os made particular use of flowers which had recently been imported for horticultural purposes, while most flower painters used species which had been known since the 17th and 18th Centuries. Particularly Central and North America were discovered as a breeding ground for potential new garden plants. Georgius Jacobus Johannes van Os strongly influenced his contemporaries and had many followers.
The Phacelia (no. 1) was, according to literature, introduced from California into Europe in 1836, which was only a year before the present lot was painted, showing how Van Os kept abreast of horticultural developments. The Slipper Flowers (no. 7,8,9,11) had been imported from Chili and Peru since 1823, and soon became popular and were cultivated in many colour varieties. Mahonia (no. 18) was introduced from the West side of North America in 1820, and the Sun Cactus (no. 19) in 1815 from Central Mexico. The introduction of the Blue Navelwort (no. 22) from Portugal is only recorded much later. Several shrubs were introduced during the Eighteenth Century, amongst them the Moutan Peony (no. 27) from West China in 1786, the Rhododendron (no. 13) from Southern Europe in 1763 and the Mountain Laurel (no. 12) from Eastern North America in 1734. The global and blunt Baguette (no. 15,16) and Bizarde tulips (no. 28) are also characteristic for the period, and some of the other depicted plants were already known in the 17th Century, but are not seen in paintings before the 19th Century, like the Tea Tree (no. 5) and the Aaron's Beard (no. 23).
We wish to thank Dr Sam Segal for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.
2 London pride Saxifraga cf. umbrosa Schildersverdriet
3 African Marigold Tagetes patula subplena Klein afrikaantje
4 Forget-me-not Myosotis palustris Vergeet-mij-nietje
5 Tea Tree Lycium barbarum Boksdoorn
6 Salmon Peony Paeonia officinalis Salmonea Zalmpioen
7 ochre Slipper Flower Calceolaria scabiosifolia ochrea oker Pantoffelbloem
8 amber Slipper Flower Calceolaria scabiosifolia umbrina amber Pantoffelbloem
9 violet Slipper Flower Calceolaria scabiosifolia violacea paarse Pantoffelbloem
10 red-white Poppy Anemone Anemone coronaria pseudoplena wit-rode Anemonealbo-rubra striata Tuinanemoon
11 yellow-brown Slipper Calceolaria scabiosifolia luteo geel-bruine Flower spadicea Pantoffelbloem
12 Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia Breedbladige lepelboom
13 Rhododendron Rhododendron ponticum Rhododendron
14 Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix Dopheide
15 Bizarde Tulip Tulipa chrysantha x T. clusiana Bizarde tulp
16 Baguette Tulip Tulipa stellata x T. clusiana Baguette tulp
17 Small Morning Glory Convolvulus tricolor Dagschone
18 Mahonia Mahonia aquifolium Mahonie
19 Sun Cactus Heliocereus speciosus Zonnecactus
20 dark Poppy Anemone Anemone coronaria pseudoplena donkere atrata Tuinanemoon
21 Shepherd's Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris Herderstasje
22 Blue Navelwort Omphalodes nitida ? Navelkruid
23 Aaron's Beard Hypericum calycinum Groot hertshooi
24 Flax Linum usitatissimum Vlas
25 Trumpet Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Pijpkamperfoelie
26 Pot Marigold Calendula officinalis Goudsbloem
27 Moutan Peony Paeonia suffruticosa subplena alba Boompioen
28 Bizarde Tulip Tulipa clusiana x T. chrysantha Bizarde tulp
29 white-purple carnation Dianthus caryophyllus plenus wit-purpere albo-purpureus Tuinanemoon
30 Canterbury Bell Campanula medium Marietteklokje
Georgius Jacobus Johannes van Os was a true innovator of flower painting during the first half of the 19th Century, much more than his famous father Jan van Os (1744-1808) who was a follower of the famous flower painter Jan van Huysum (1682-1749). He abandoned the usual brownish or ochre tinted subground layer which had frequenty been used in still life painting for two centuries (with some exceptions), and the smooth finishing with glazes. His variegated palette shows a large number of opaque hues and nuances.
The present lot is a truly monumental work by the leading still life painter of his time. It reveals the extent to which Van Os made particular use of flowers which had recently been imported for horticultural purposes, while most flower painters used species which had been known since the 17th and 18th Centuries. Particularly Central and North America were discovered as a breeding ground for potential new garden plants. Georgius Jacobus Johannes van Os strongly influenced his contemporaries and had many followers.
The Phacelia (no. 1) was, according to literature, introduced from California into Europe in 1836, which was only a year before the present lot was painted, showing how Van Os kept abreast of horticultural developments. The Slipper Flowers (no. 7,8,9,11) had been imported from Chili and Peru since 1823, and soon became popular and were cultivated in many colour varieties. Mahonia (no. 18) was introduced from the West side of North America in 1820, and the Sun Cactus (no. 19) in 1815 from Central Mexico. The introduction of the Blue Navelwort (no. 22) from Portugal is only recorded much later. Several shrubs were introduced during the Eighteenth Century, amongst them the Moutan Peony (no. 27) from West China in 1786, the Rhododendron (no. 13) from Southern Europe in 1763 and the Mountain Laurel (no. 12) from Eastern North America in 1734. The global and blunt Baguette (no. 15,16) and Bizarde tulips (no. 28) are also characteristic for the period, and some of the other depicted plants were already known in the 17th Century, but are not seen in paintings before the 19th Century, like the Tea Tree (no. 5) and the Aaron's Beard (no. 23).
We wish to thank Dr Sam Segal for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.