The apple seller

Born near Breda in 1806, Petrus van Schendel studied in Antwerp under van Bree. Later he moved to Holland, living in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague, before finally settling in Brussels in 1845. Van Schendel devoted himself at first to portraits and historical subjects before specialising in the market scenes that characterise his successful career. These night time scenes, influenced largely by 17th century Dutch painting, depict market stalls offering game, flowers or indeed, fruit and vegetables. In the tradition of Gerrit Dou, van Schendel's interest lies in light, and in the present work he augments the soft light of the hidden moon with the warmth of several candles placed at various points around the composition. With a delicacy that betrays his concern for intricate detail, van Schendel exquisitely renders the effect of his light sources on the carefully observed people, objects and architecture of his composition.