This still life by Adriaen Coorte reveals the expressive power of economy of means. On a stone plate with pearlescent reflections, a few scarlet strawberries stand out against a dark background, creating a striking contrast.
The artist demonstrates exceptional technical mastery in rendering textures: each achene is meticulously depicted with a dot of white paint, while the drooping stem brings a note of spontaneity to this rigorous composition. The small white flower that emerges from among the fruits introduces a discrete poetry, evoking nature’s cycle. This late work perfectly illustrates Coorte’s aesthetic, where apparent simplicity masks remarkable pictorial sophistication. Through his deliberate restraint, the artist transcends anecdote to achieve pure plastic truth, characteristic of Dutch art.
Further information
- Still Life with Wild Strawberries, by Adriaen Coorte, 1705
- 16.5 x 14 cm, oil on paper on panel
- Mauritshuis, The Hague, displayed in room 11
- https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/our-collection/artworks/1106-still-life-with-wild-strawberries
An enigmatic figure in Dutch painting, little is known about Adriaen Coorte (c. 1665-after 1707). He remains one of the most mysterious masters of his era. Probably active in Middelburg in Zeeland, this artist developed a unique style, favoring sparse compositions with dark backgrounds that magnify fruits and vegetables. Long forgotten, he experienced a spectacular rediscovery in the second half of the 20th century, his works captivating viewers with their troubling modernity. Coorte distinguished himself through his ability to sublimate modest subjects thanks to surgically precise technique and exceptional chromatic sensitivity, inscribing himself in the tradition of the great masters of Dutch still life.
