Insects and a Sprig of Rosemary
Historical Context
Jan van Kessel the Elder's Insects and a Sprig of Rosemary from 1653 is an early work demonstrating the precise natural history observation that would define his career. Van Kessel, grandson of Jan Brueghel the Elder, inherited the family tradition of meticulous nature painting and brought it to a new level of scientific accuracy. Such intimate studies of insects on copper served both as aesthetic objects for collectors' cabinets and as contributions to 17th-century natural history.
Technical Analysis
Van Kessel's oil-on-copper technique achieves miniaturist precision in rendering each insect's distinctive anatomy and coloration. The smooth copper surface allows for extraordinarily fine detail, while the luminous metallic ground enhances the jewel-like quality of the insects' wings and carapaces.
Provenance
Private collection, Sweden, by 1934. (Richard Green, London); purchased July 1982 by Paul Mellon [1907-1999], Upperville, Virginia; by inheritance to his wife, Rachel Lambert Mellon [1910-2014], Upperville; (her estate sale, Sotheby's, New York, 10 November 2014, no. 31); (Johnny Van Haeften, Ltd., Ham, near Richmond); purchased 29 June 2018 by NGA.
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