Still Life

Still Life by Willem Kalf presents a still life arrangement set against a dark, almost black background. A table partly covered by a richly patterned textile holds a glass of wine, a tall decanter, a blue-and-white ceramic dish, and a cluster of fruit including peaches and a large orange fruit with a rough rind, with lemon peels adding brightness. The composition groups the objects along a diagonal and emphasizes reflective surfaces and tactile textures, a hallmark of the Dutch Baroque pronkstilleven, with careful chiaroscuro and subdued, warm color contrasts.