Willem Kalf

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Willem Kalf (1619 — 1693) was a Dutch painter who specialized in still lifes. Later in his life Kalf became an art dealer and appraiser.

[edit] Still lifes

Kalf's magnificent still lifes vary little in their structure, and most of them actually feature same objects. Usually, a damask cloth or tapestry is draped upon a table on which there is tableware, with gold and silver vessels, many of which have been identified as work of specific goldsmiths, such as Jan Lutmas. There is almost always a Chinese porcelain bowl, often tilted so that the fruits tumble out of it. If you notice Willem Kalf uses most of the same props to paint his still lifes. Also, one of the reasons he is a noted painter is because of the way he captured light in his paintings. He was one of the first painters in the 16th century to do this.