c. 1642

Kitchen

Dutch (active Amsterdam), 1619 - 1693

Willem Kalf's early still lifes of kitchens and barns contrast with the precious and exalted grandness of his mature pronk (sumptuous) still lifes, yet already in these rustic scenes he indulges his obsession with the optical effects of subtle reflections and tonal differences, and displays a wide range of textures. These intimate depictions of metal and earthenware vessels reflect the influence of Flemish artist David Teniers II (1610-1690). Kalf produced these kitchen still lifes while in Paris, where he was part of a small but significant community of Dutch artists. Only upon his arrival in Amsterdam in 1653 did he begin working in another genre, the pronk still life.