Pieter Claesz. (1597/98 - 1660)

Dutch still life painter

Pieter Cleasz. was born in Berchem, Flanders. He is mentioned in 1640 as being approximately forty-three years old, so his date of birth must have been in 1596 or 1597. In 1619 a Pieter Clasen joined the Antwerp guild, but it is not sure if this is the same person as Pieter Claesz. In 1620/21 he moved to Haarlem, where in 1622 his son Nicolaes Berchem was born. Claesz. Is mentioned in Samuel Ampzing's Beschrijvinge ende lof der stad Haerlem, a description of Haarlem from 1628. Very little is know about his life. He was a member of the Guild of St. Luke in Haarlem and is registered as the teacher of his son in 1642. Cleaesz. died in December 1660 and was buried in Haarlem on January 1, 1661. Only still lifes are known from Pieter Claesz. In the 1620s he developped together with Willem Claesz. Heda the „monochrome banketje“, a still life with very few objects and a very limited palette, making the handling of light and texture the prime means of expression. Almost all his work is signed with the monogram PC

Vanitas Still Life
1625

Skull, Lamp, Book, and Pen
1628

Open book, Skull, Violin, and Oil Lamp
1629

Herring with a Glass of Beer and a Roll
1636

Vanitas Still Life with the Spinario
1628

Fruit Still Life with Gilded Tazza and Cheese Basket
c. 1624

Still life with turkey pie
1627

Banketje
1628

Vanitas still life
1630

Still Life with a Gold Chain
n.d.

Still life with Roemer
1644

Still Life with Roemer
1645

Vanitas Still Life with Violin and Glass Ball
1628

Still life
c. 1635

Still Life with a Ham
1642

Still life with a Salt
c. 1640-45

Still Life
1627

Still Life with a Rummer and Shrimp
1646

Still Life with a Fish
1647

Still Life with Turkey Pie
1627

A breakfast-piece
1637

Still Life
1641

Still Life on a Table with Musical Instruments

A breakfast-piece

Pipes and Brazier
1636

Still Life with Drinking Vessels
1649

Breakfast with Ham
1647

Still Life

Still Life with Roemer, Roll, Smoked Herring, Watch and Smoker's Requisites
c.1625/26

Two roemers, a roll, a plate of olives, a knife, and tobacco and oysters on a pewter dish atop a table
1642

Still Life with Fruit, Bread and Two Rummers
1644

Still Life
c. 1639

Still Life
1624

Pewter dishes of crabs and oysters with a tray of roemers and a basket of peaches and grapes
1657

Still Life with Large Berkemeyer and Gold Pocket Watch
c. 1632

Still-life with Glasses
1641

Still Life with Lighted Candle
1627

Still Life with Tazza
1636

An upturned pewter jug, silver beaker, a candlestick with a pewter platter, a glass cup and cover, mustard pot and a vine on a draped table

Still life with silver tazza, fallen berkenmeier, knife and lemon
1630

Still Life with Oysters
1630s

Still Life with Three Lemons
1629

Set table with lobster, silver jug, large birch bowl, fruit bowl, violin and books
1641

Table with ham and cheese
c. 1625

Set table with turkey pie
c. 1626

Still Life with Smoking Utensils and two Herrings
1627

St. Martin's cup from the Haarlem brewers' guild with pocket watch and nuts
1641

Still life with gilded lidded goblet, overturned jug, turkey pie, tazza, large silver dish with glasses and fruits
v. 1648

Set table with pie, tazza, gilded lidded goblet and stemware
1637

Vanitas Still Life
1636

Banketje with oysters on a crab, roll, birch egg, salt shaker and drinking bowl
1651

Still Life with Smoking Gear, a Violin and Books
c. 1623

Still Life with Smoking Utensils, Herring, Bread and a Roemer
1625

Set table with pewter jug, overturned silver cup, stemware, flute glass, roast capon and oysters
1647

Still Life with Smoking Utensils
1622

Set table with pies and basket of grapes
1625

Large stemware with fruits
c. 1627

Still life with smoking utensils, stoneware jug, berkenmeier and shells
1640

Fruit Still Life
1621

Banketje with rummer, herring, mustard pot and bread roll
1642