Style Imitating Art: “Still Life with Nuts, Candy and Flowers” by Clara Peeters

About Style Imitating Art…

Style Imitating Art is a group collaboration between Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee. Please make sure you visit each blog to see their SIA looks. Style Imitating Art challenges people to find inspiration in different art works and create outfits based upon that art work. Every other Monday one of the three selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. They then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, they share their outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. Terri chose this week’s art work. If you’d like to read why she selected “Still Life with nuts, Candy and Flowers”, you can read more here. You can see a few of my looks here, here, here, and here!

Inspiration art work…

About the art work…

The art work is a stunning still life with various flowers as well as biscuits, candied fruits and nuts, and pretzels. One of the interesting things about this painting is these flowers would not have bloomed at the same time! If you enlarge the image, you can see Clara Peeters’ reflection on the jug. It looks like there may be four reflections down the front of it. This painting was done in oil on a panel of some kind. My guess would be wood, but I could be completely wrong on that! The art work measures 52 x 73 cm (~20.5 in x 28.7 in) and is currently in the Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain.

About the artist…

Clara Peeters was born in Antwerp, Belgium sometime near the turn of the 16th century. The earliest record of Clara Peeters is a record of her baptism in the Church of St. Walburga on May 15, 1594. On May 31, 1594, a marriage occurred between Clara Peeters and Henricus Joosen. Both Clara and Peeters were common names in Antwerp so there is some question about whether or not this is the artist. In addition, her first works were dated 1607 which would have made her twelve or thirteen at the time. The dates of her birth are not as important as the time period in which she was creating her art. By 1611, Peeters was well known in Amsterdam. In 1617, she was “documented” in The Hague. Unfortunately, no further art work was attributed to Peeters after 1621. Experts believe this may have occurred after she was married.

A little more…

Clara Peeters first known painting, signed and dated in 1607, showed an intricacy and technical expertise which leads many to believe she trained in Antwerp. Artists with whom her name has been linked include Osias Beert, Hans van Essen, and Jan van der Beeck as well as Jan Breugel the Elder. Peeters’ name does not appear in the records of the Guild of Saint Luke, nor does she show up in other art centers in the Dutch Republic. One of her pieces, however, does have the stamp of the of the Antwerp Guild. This could mean she was a member or worked on pieces by the Guild.

Still more…

From 1607-1621, Peeters signed thirty-one pieces of art. Of those, eighteen were produced by the time she was eighteen years old! Another seventy-six pieces may or may not have been painted by her as they are similar to her body of work. There is also evidence Peeters may have been the head of a small school of artists. The artist was producing still life paintings of foods and flowers before the style became popular in Europe. One aspect of her work is the use of light on metal objects. Peeters also painted herself into some of the reflections of her art work. While there is no record of of Peeters having patrons, she did produce large paintings as well as using luxurious objects in those paintings. This would seem to indicate she was producing work for wealthy patrons. Sadly, there is no record of Clara Peeters’ death.

My interpretation…

This is a gorgeous painting. I was immediately drawn to the rich browns and the florals. Not surprisingly, my look started with this brown jacquard peplum blouse from April Cornell! Surprise! I started out with the peplum outside my skirt, but it came across as a little too much “Little House on the Prairie” and not enough Flemish master! I was afraid it would be too bulky when I tucked it into the skirt. Luckily, this skirt (a few years old from J Jill) has a smocked waistline and was able to accommodate the additional fabric. Even more luckily, the skirt was the green I was hoping to use to pull the green undertones of the vase and center dish from the painting.

The Lewk!

At first, I was going to wear my wide straw belt, but it just seemed off. There was too much contrast between the top and bottom. I went rummaging around in my belt bag (because I still haven’t figured out what to do with them) and pulled out my grandpa’s western belt. It was the perfect little segue from top to bottom! I added my Waterlily boots by L’Artiste, some green amethyst jewelry (old, from eBay and Macy’s), and my Style Imitating Art look was complete!

Wrap it up, Marsha!

You may have noticed something a little different about my photos today. I had a chemical peel last week (my first ever), and I’m not wearing makeup for a bit. I have started the peeling part of this treatment, and I’m kind of dreading it! I know I will be itching to pull those sheets of skin right off! So, can we talk? What do you think of this piece of art? Are you an Old Masters type of follower? Or, do you prefer the likes of Pollock and Warhol? Are you inspired by art? Or, are you bored to tears by it? Please leave a comment or two, and we can talk! I promise to respond as quickly as possible! I was a little preoccupied last week as I was watching my two oldest grands. Their dad surprised their mom (my daughter) with a trip to Paris for her birthday! Can you imagine (I wish Nigel could)?

10 on the 10th!

This month’s 10 on the 10th has to do with birthdays! Why, you ask? Mine is this month! I hope you’ll join me (and possibly Leslie) on the 10th with your answers. Don’t worry if you don’t have a blog. You can answer in the comments or even send me an email with your answers! And, there will be a link party! Don’t forget!!!

Affiliate links and such:

Just a reminder that Marsha in the Middle may use an affiliate link. Those links are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link I provide, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. I recently became a Brand Ambassador for Sarah Flint shoes. You can use SARAHFLINT-BAMARSHA for $50 off your first pair. As of right now, I also have an affiliate code for Kantha Bae! Use MarshaintheMiddle in the promo code box for $5 off any order (excluding Bestie restocks)! I have also become a Halftee Partner. Use the code, MARSHA2098, for 20% off any purchase. In case you didn’t know, bloggers must disclose the use of affiliate links. That’s why I include this in each post.

Thank you!

Thank you from the bottom of my art loving heart! I appreciate you so much for reading and commenting on my blog! I honestly cannot put into words how grateful I am (though I try very hard)! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.

Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, My Bijou LIfe, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, Being a Wordsmith, and Mummabstylish. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I’m a co-host on the Weekend Traffic Jam (here). I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I also host Final Friday Print Mixing on the last Friday of the month. I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

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