(Rome circa 1645–1672)
Tulips, roses, lilies, iris, fritillaria, ipomeas and other flowers in a sculpted vase, a smaller bouquet of flowers in a glass vase and grapes besides, all on a stone ledge,
oil on canvas, 132 x 96 cm, framed

Provenance:
Bulgari collection, Rome, 1973;
Private European collection

We are grateful to Gianluca Bocchi for endorsing the attribution of the present painting on the basis of a photograph.

Giovanni Stanchi was one of the finest still-life painters in 17th-century Rome, playing a pivotal role in the stylistic shift from post-Caravaggism to the Baroque style within this genre. He led a renowned workshop where his talented brothers, Niccolò and Angelo, also worked. Surviving inventories from the 16th and 17th centuries reveal that the Stanchi brothers were commissioned by illustrious Roman families such as the Chigi, Pamphilj, Colonna, Borghese, Pallavicini, and Rospigliosi.

Stanchi’s early years were dedicated to studying floral compositions alongside Mario Nuzzi (1606–1673), whom he met during the creation of the celebrated mirrors for the Galleria Grande of the Palazzo Colonna in Rome. While Nuzzi benefitted from the studio of his uncle, Tommaso Salini, Stanchi found inspiration in the works of Flemish masters, whose paintings began to circulate in Rome in the early 17th century. His first works were influenced by the northern model of flower garlands introduced by Seghers to Rome after 1625, showcasing the techniques he had learned in Antwerp at the Brueghel school.

The influence of the vibrant floral arrangements painted by Flemish artists is particularly evident in the present painting, which appears to be inspired by the prototypes of Daniel Seghers, but especially by Jan Brueghel (1568–1625), known in Italy as “Brueghel dei velluti”. The depiction of the vase is particularly noteworthy: a metal container decorated with “all’antica” motifs, featuring a grotesque mask and a sea creature blowing a horn.