Still Life

Pieter Gallis

1667

oil on canvas

Rijksmuseum

A still life painting features a crab and a blue and white patterned dish filled with oysters on a dark surface. A glass and a dark jug are visible in the background. Two worlds meet in this painting: a crab from the Mediterranean lies next to a porcelain bowl from China. Before the 17th century, Chinese porcelain was rare in Europe. However, starting in 1602, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) began shipping large quantities of porcelain to the Netherlands and other parts of the world. Due to its high cost, a more affordable alternative soon emerged: Delftware.