Still life (fruit and oyster) c.1650s

In Still Life (fruit and oyster), Cornelis de Bryer showcases his technical skills, capturing the glistening textures of the oyster and the translucency of water, creating anticipation as we watch the almost-falling droplet. The oyster’s aphrodisiac qualities represent notions of lust, adding a visceral element to a still-life tableau of ripening fruit.

The term stilleven was coined by the Dutch to describe kitchen and market scenes, particularly those featuring produce, while a painting that featured a table laden with food and utensils was referred to as a banket (banquet). Oysters may be a luxury today, but they were once common in the Dutch diet.