Still Life: A Banqueting Scene

A lavish banquet still life with a lobster, fruit, silver and a lute on a draped table. Every object is set down with care, from the gleam of each surface to the way the light falls across them. Look closely and the textures almost invite a touch.

Its palette, measured from the canvas, is led by ink, with chocolate and umber in support: a low-lit, warm picture. Those warm tones give it a glow that comes alive in lamplight and deepens as the evening draws in. The wide format lets the scene unfold from side to side, with something new to find towards its edges.

A wide canvas like this one is a natural focal point above a sofa, a sideboard or a bed, where its width can carry the wall. It is at home in a kitchen or a dining room, where the table it shows meets your own. Ink and chocolate are easy to echo in cushions, a throw or a painted wall nearby, and it holds its own in a mixed gallery wall.

Jan Davidsz de Heem made the original around 1640; in the collection it is listed under Baroque. It carries the drama of the Baroque, with deep shadow and a strong fall of light that pull the scene towards you. This painting is printed to order on gallery-wrapped canvas in 30 × 40 cm or 40 × 60 cm, from the image you see here. The canvas wraps around its frame, so it arrives ready to hang, with no framing needed. Want yourself in it instead? Add a photo and see your portrait free before you order.