Balthasar van der Ast | |
|---|---|
 Still Life of Flowers, Fruit, Shells, and Insects, c. 1629, Birmingham Museum of Art | |
| Born | 1593 or 1594 |
| Died | 1657 |
| Education | Ambrosius Bosschaert |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Dutch Golden Age painting |
Balthasar van der Ast (Middelburg, 1593/94 – Delft, 7 March 1657) was a Dutch Golden Age painter who specialized in still lifes of flowers and fruit, as well as painting a number of remarkable shell still lifes; he is considered to be a pioneer in the genre of shell painting. His still lifes often contain insects and lizards.[1]
His lifetime of works was once summarized by an Amsterdam doctor who said, "In flowers, shells and lizards, beautiful".[2]
- ^ Irene Haberland. "Ast, Balthasar van der." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 2 May. 2016
- ^ Birmingham Museum of Art (2010). Birmingham Museum of Art : guide to the collection. [Birmingham, Ala]: Birmingham Museum of Art. p. 166. ISBN 978-1-904832-77-5.