Flower Piece

More than twenty different species of plants appear in Hendrick Schoock’s painting. The large bouquet includes many flowers that are simply ordinary garden plants to us – such as tulips, peonies, Chinese lanterns and irises. But in Schoock’s day these plants were all very exotic and only accessible to the very rich. At times, tulip and hyacinth bulbs were considered investments. What is unique about Schoock’s bouquet is the fact that it also includes humbler plants such as grasses, grains and herbs. Mature wheat, hare’s tail grass and cockspur grass appear among all the colourful flowers. Like many other flower painters of his day, Schoock was very interested in reflected and refracted light.