"Flowers" and "sea": Dutch flower still life of the first half of the 17th century in Middelburg

The subject of the study is the flower still life of the Middelburg masters in the first half of the 17th century. The object of the study is the art of still life in the context of the Zeeland's capital economic and geograpical development. The author examines the geographical features of the city of Middelburg and introduces the reader to the environment in which the still lifes were created. Particular attention is paid to the influence of Flemish immigrants who raised the city's economy to a new level. Artists from the Spanish Netherlands significantly enriched the artistic environment of the city. The author focuses on the flower still life – a type that was prominent in Middelburg. The article examines the works of as Ambrosius Bosschaert and Balthasar van der Ast. The methodology is based on biographical and historical methods – emphasis is placed on the geographical features of the city, which invariably became factors that shaped the features of art. The article also uses the formal-stylistic method for analyzing still lifes. The author takes into consideration the regional school of flower still life in the 17th century. In Middelburg, the development of this type is associated with a love of gardening, the emergence of widespread public interest in natural science phenomena and a passion for collecting. The artists reflect the incredible attachment of the inhabitants of Middelburg to their city and the sea. This true love is reflected not only in poetry, but also in works of art. In the still lifes of Middelburg artists Bosschaert the Elder and van der Ast, fidelity to the sea and the elements is expressed in the image of sea shells in flower still lifes. This motif appears as a result of numerous creative and geographical processes on the territory of the city.