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In a decorative silver vase, the Amsterdam goldsmith Dirck van Rijswijck has arranged a large number of flowers which, in Nature, never bloom at the same time. There are maybells and lilies, carnations, anemones, zinnias and foxgloves – crowned by a double flame-tulip, which in the mid-17th century was considered particularly exquisite. A number of insects swarm around the arrangement, and there’s a parrot sitting on a branch to the left of the vase. On the right, a locust is crouching.

August the Strong acquired this splendid mother-of-pearl work by Dirck van Rijswijk at an auction in 1728. It corresponds perfectly to the tradition of Dutch still-life painting of the 17th century. The various levels of interpretation in this kind of floral still-life are not immediately apparent to the modern viewer. The blossoming and fading flowers are what is known as a vanitas symbol – a metaphor for the transience of life. Some of the individual flowers also have a strong religious significance. The butterfly – which is the transformation of a caterpillar that appears to die – was traditionally seen as a symbol of the Resurrection. The lily is a symbol of the Virgin Mary’s innocence and chastity.

Dirck van Rijswijk achieved great fame with his unique mother-of-pearl pictures. He used the natural tones of the material, which he emphasised with polishing, to produce various degrees of sheen. It was mainly for its iridescent, almost magical lustre that polished and engraved mother-of-pearl was so admired. For the vase itself, van Rijswijk used gleaming white mother-of-pearl. Pieces with a shimmer of colour appear as leaves.