Pronkstillleven with Fruit and Fowl (1651), Abraham Hendricksz. van Beyeren This picture is an early work by the Dutch painter Abraham van Beyeren, who specialised in seascapes and still lifes. These so-called “Pronkstilleven” (ornate still lifes) were often commissioned by wealthy merchants who used them to express the success of their international trade. That is why this painting depicts valuable vessels made of precious metals and glass, as well as delicacies such as oysters and pomegranates, gathered together on the table.
