What secrets of the founder of the Dutch still life are revealed by her paintings: Clara Peters

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Clara Peters has been creating for half a century, creating almost exclusively still lifes - innovative, stunning in technique, symbolism, and beauty of the production. Today she is called the ancestor of the famous "Dutch still life". Her techniques and composition were copied, her work was attributed to many artists, not believing that a woman could reach such a level in painting. However, we know very little about the artist's life - only what her paintings tell …

The main problem in Peters' studies of life and work is that she was a woman. Peters worked in the first half of the 17th century. Women artists at that time did not have the opportunity to join unions and guilds, practically did not receive expensive orders. They were not allowed to write on many topics, depict nudity or grandiose historical scenes, and in the field of "low" genres it was difficult to make a meaningful career. Therefore, there is no information about Clara Peters in the archives of the art guilds of the Netherlands, just as she did not have her own biographers. It is unknown who taught her painting. Even the dates documented with Clara Peters' name - date of birth, wedding day - seem rather controversial and may refer to completely different women. In addition, documentary evidence of those years was often lost, destroyed by fire or dampness …

At the same time, Clara Peters was apparently one of the most influential artists of her time. Apparently, she owns several innovations, which were later taken up by her followers. During the years of Peters' creative work, the Dutch still life was not yet a "visiting card" of northern art and did not enjoy such popularity, and some art critics believe that it was Clara Peters who stood at the origins of the famous "Dutch still life".

The first attributed work of Clara Peters is dated 1607, the last known - 1657. About forty of her fully completed works have survived, written with amazing meticulousness and emphasized naturalism. She often included unexpected details in her paintings - animals, insects, shells of mollusks. All of them have a hidden meaning, understandable in the context of the culture of the Protestant Netherlands of the 17th century.

Her magnificent still lifes tell more about the artist than the scanty church books and dry notes of her contemporaries. The artist's skill, balanced composition and subtle symbolism show that she received a thorough training. All works are clearly painted from nature, their materiality, accuracy, liveliness are almost photographic. This means that the artist used these luxurious things - golden glasses, exquisite porcelain. Very often, on metal products, cups and cutlery, the hallmarks of Antwerp craftsmen are found.

There are hallmarks of Antwerp workshops and on the boards, according to which Peters wrote. Klara has lived in Antwerp, presumably, all her life. And she was wealthy - probably of noble birth or married to a nobleman. Her later works contain images of game caught during the hunt and not yet skinned - and hunting in the Netherlands since 1613 was an entertainment available only to noble people. Products and dishes "served" in Clara's still lifes also remained inaccessible to ordinary townspeople - exquisite sweets, fruits, olives. For Peters, these sumptuous breakfasts on gold plates were commonplace …

We can even guess what Clara Peters looked like. She loved to combine the genres of self-portrait and still life in one work. Later, a portrait or self-portrait “inside” a still life became in the 17th century a striking feature of the Dutch still life school. Sometimes she portrayed herself in reflection when she painted glass and metal dishes - with a palette in her hand, in a halo of blond hair, but the features were impossible to distinguish. However, in one of the works, "Allegory of Vanity," Peters painted a luxuriously dressed young woman at a table heaped with beautiful, delicately executed things - the attributes of luxury. A large gold bowl, jewelry, a handful of gold coins, dice … This image is considered a self-portrait of Clara Peters. The woman's right hand squeezes a pencil or brush, but stretches out to an elegant knife. The knife is recognizable, the name of Clara is engraved on it. He is often found in the artist's still lifes and, obviously, was extremely dear to her. A lover's gift? Gift of your beloved spouse on the day of the wedding? Without a doubt - evidence of a deep and strong feeling …

Apparently, Clara Peters had her own studio, she sold works to the rich and aristocrats, even taught and stood at the origins of a kind of art school. Clara Peters' paintings even reached Madrid and ended up in the collections of the Spanish kings (now these works are in the Prado collection). According to the documents, Peters' works ended up in private collections in Paris, Bonn, Brussels, Hanover, Hamburg and London - during the artist's lifetime.

Some unattributed works in the genre of Dutch still life are clearly executed in imitation of Peters, although technically not so perfect, typical objects are used for her, but other people's adjustments are found. Could the authors have been her students? Art critics use the concept of “Peters circle”. This very small group includes artists who have largely adopted the style, technique, and compositional approach of the queen of the Dutch still life.

For a long time, many of Clara Peters' works were attributed to her followers, and references to her did not arouse interest among art critics. However, today, when the artist's importance has become undeniable, she has won the hearts of art lovers. Photographers, designers and artists, regardless of gender, are inspired by the cozy and mysterious atmosphere, complex symbolic codes and the virtuoso technique of Clara Peters' still lifes.