{"product_id":"the-virgin-and-child-in-a-sculpted-cartouche-surrounded-by-garlands-of-roses-tulips-carnations-lillies-and-other-flowers-jan-van-kessel-the-elder-1","title":"The Virgin and Child, in a Sculpted Cartouche, Surrounded by Garlands of Roses, Tulips, Carnations, Lillies and Other Flowers - Jan van Kessel the Elder","description":"\u003cp\u003eA classic seventeenth-century Flemish garland painting by Jan van Kessel the Elder, featuring a central devotional scene framed by a detailed botanical arrangement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJan van Kessel the Elder was a prominent member of a prolific family of Flemish painters. He specialised in small-scale works, often painting on copper supports, which allowed for a smooth surface and the application of fine, precise detail. This work follows the tradition of the garland painting, a genre popular in the seventeenth-century Netherlands and Flanders. In these compositions, a central religious or mythological scene is framed by a decorative border of flora, fauna, or other objects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe central medallion depicts the Virgin and Child, rendered with the soft modelling characteristic of the period. This devotional image is enclosed within a dark, sculpted cartouche that provides a stark contrast to the surrounding botanical display. Van Kessel demonstrates his keen observation of nature through the variety of blooms included in the garland. Roses, tulips, carnations, and lilies are arranged with a sense of naturalistic abundance, each flower captured at a different stage of its life cycle. The artist employs a dark, neutral background to push the colours of the petals forward, creating a sense of depth and focus on the individual textures of the leaves and blossoms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuch works were often collaborative, though Van Kessel was known for his ability to execute both the central figures and the surrounding still life elements with equal skill. The inclusion of specific flowers often carried symbolic weight in the seventeenth century, with lilies representing purity and roses frequently associated with the Virgin Mary. This piece reflects the scientific curiosity of the era, as artists documented the botanical specimens that were increasingly available through global trade and the growth of private gardens. The precision of the brushwork and the balanced composition demonstrate the technical control required to manage such a complex arrangement of disparate elements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/portrait-of-charles-i-of-england-anthony-van-dyck\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePortrait of Charles I of England - Anthony van Dyck — Anthony van Dyck\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/self-portrait-as-the-allegory-of-painting-artemisia-gentileschi\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eSelf-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting - Artemisia Gentileschi — Artemisia Gentileschi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Jan van Kessel the Elder","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58888839233871,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58888842281295,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58888842314063,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58888842346831,"sku":null,"price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58888842379599,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/The-Virgin-and-Child-in-a-Sculpted-Cartouche-Surrounded-by-Garlands-of-Roses-Tulips-Carnations-Lillies-and-Other-Flowers_Poster_CompositorV1_1790374916138.jpg?v=1790375177","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/the-virgin-and-child-in-a-sculpted-cartouche-surrounded-by-garlands-of-roses-tulips-carnations-lillies-and-other-flowers-jan-van-kessel-the-elder-1","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}