Savoring Elegance in Spanish Bodegón (Still Life)

Spanish bodegón or still life exploded in the late 17th century. Artists from Cotán to Meléndez created timeless pieces that immerse the viewer into Spanish culture and life. This exhibition focuses on Spanish foods that appear throughout these still lifes along with everyday dishware and pottery. Bodegón stems from the Spanish word bodega, a storeroom or tavern. These pieces pull back the curtain to what a 17th century Spanish pantry may look like, or what they would hope it looked like. Spanish still lifes have a few recurring themes throughout including an emphasis on artists skills and a concentration on the foods and dishware of this time period in Spain. These artists desired to flaunt their exquisite tastes and painting abilities through these particularly ordinary spreads. Spanish still life aimed to portray everyday life of normally mundane moments using many textures, colors, and light to create a glimpse of what Spanish life was like. These still lifes were a transition from the more traditional Spanish art that aimed to share religious views and stories. During this time, artists created objects that represented lifestyles they may have desired but did not necessarily have, and offered it up to the general market to enjoy. These artists focused on precision and detail in order to showcase their skills to the general market as well. The pieces below seek to tie together 17th century Spain, and express what the artists were trying to accomplish in their paintings. From these pieces we can learn to slow down, and appreciate the mundane and normalcy of the things around us.

Juan Sánchez Cotán, Still Life with Game, Vegetables, and Fruit, 1602, oil on canvas, 68 cm x 88.2 cm. Museo del Prado.

Cotán creates a window for his viewers to enjoy the essentials of everyday life in Spain. His pieces are simple, but use value to create emphasis between the objects. Cotán uses intense details in order to show off his artistry as well as make the piece as realistic as possible. Cotán is attempting to create a window into the Spanish pantry for his viewers. He uses the dead bird to represent transience, or the idea that nothing lasts forever and all things must eventually come to an end. The items represent the rawness of what types of items may be in a Spanish pantry on any given day. The window format is consistent throughout his paintings, creating the atmosphere that the viewer can reach out and grab any of the objects.

Juan Sánchez Cotán, Still life with Quince, Cabbage, Melon, Cucumber, c. 1602, oil on canvas, 68.9 cm x 84.46 cm. San Diego Museum of Art.

In this Cotán piece, he limits the amount of vegetables and fruit, but uses significantly more detail. The lettuce is full, and forest green, while the quince looks dusty and aged, with yellow spotlights. The use of the cantaloupe is a theme that runs throughout Spanish still life, allowing the artist to flaunt their artistic brilliance. Art historians have explained that cantaloupe is used by the artists to put their techniques on display. The sliced cantaloupe allows the viewer to look behind the skin and see the vibrancy and texture within. The lone cucumber leans over the edge creating a tension between the window and the viewer's reality.

Tomás Hiepes, Delft Fruit Bowl and two Vases of Flowers, ca. 1642. Museo del Prado

Hiepes uses light to illuminate the front of the table where three vessels sit side by side in a line. This painting is extremely symmetrical and even. Hiepes emphasizes the beautiful scenery of Valencia, Spain where he was from on the fruit bowl in the center. He was working a little bit away from the other Spanish artists in Madrid, however, his work supports their goal of showcasing all that Spain has to offer. From cuisine to elegant pottery, they have it all, who wouldn’t want to live in Spain? Each piece tells a different story and pulls the viewer into the rich Spanish history.

Francisco de Zurbarán, Still Life with Vessels, ca. 1650. Museo del Prado

This piece focuses on the practicality of everyday Spanish pottery. The purpose of lining the objects up is to create a comparison between their shapes and sizes, allowing the viewer to imagine their purpose in the household. De Zurbarán uses light to distinguish between the different volumes of each object and where they may fit into the Spanish household. While the other still lifes have life and a story behind them, this one attempts to slow down and allow the viewer to just sit and observe. Each object has a job to complete, but in this moment, they sit still and silent allowing us to observe and enjoy the intricacies of Spanish pottery. Each curve and bend has a purpose and represents exceptional craftsmanship and design. The use of negative space also generates a spotlight on the objects rather than background or scenery.

Antonio de Pereda, Still Life with Ebony Chest, 1652, oil on canvas, 80 x 94 cm. Hermitage Museum, VA.

De Pereda creates the perfect blend of Meléndez, Hiepes, and de Zurbarán through a vibrant piece that portrays Spanish staples: food and fine ceramics. The ebony chest is a centerpiece of this painting pointing to materialism and wealth that many people desired but could not have. There are multiple curves and shapes represented through all of the different ceramics. De Pereda is pointing viewers back to the elegance and extravagance of the Spanish lifestyle, while also reminding us of the temporary nature of food and other worldly possessions.

Luis Meléndez, The Afternoon Meal (La Merienda), 1772, oil on canvas, 41 1/2 x 60 1/2 in. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ascension number: 1982.60.39

Meléndez uses color to create contrast between the meal and the scenery around it. He uses dark brown and gray in order to allow us to stay focused on the vivid lime green grapes and cantaloupe that are at the center of the object. The vibrant yellow-orange he uses on the peaches sets them apart from the rest of the object because they are a much warmer tone then the rest of items in the artwork. The majority of this objects palette appears to be done with cooler tones creating contrast between the other food items and the peaches. Meléndez also uses color to create unity within the painting creating a sense of identity between the different fruits and connecting them to one another. The green grapes, cantaloupe, and pears all seem to be unified by Meléndez’s choice to use lime green. This painting would not be the same without Meléndez’s use of value to create darkness and shadows behind different aspects of the painting. Meléndez is a master with his paintbrush, creating a window into the beautiful Spanish countryside that we cannot tear our eyes away from.

Luis Meléndez, Still Life with Melon, Figs, Apples, Wineskin, and Picnic Hamper in a Landscape, 1780, oil on canvas, 63 cm x 84 cm. Museo del Prado.

This painting by Meléndez ends on a different note than many of the other pieces included in this exhibition. The fruits in this painting are much less energetic and lively than in The Afternoon Meal creating a darker contrast. The fruits are rotting and droopy, and the colors seem much less bright and jubilant. The elements are similar to the previous piece, but appearing several hours later. It looks like the sun has beamed down causing the process of decay to start amongst the pile of figs and cantaloupe. In the Afternoon Meal, the fruit look delighted to be at the picnic, while in this piece they look melancholy. This painting reminds us that all good things must come to an end, but it does not necessarily mean we will never have our perfect afternoon meal again.

References

Cherry, Peter, and Luis Meléndez. Luis Meléndez: Still-life painter. Madrid: Fundación de Apoyo a la Historia del Arte Hispánico, 2006. 

Dr. Sally Hickson, "Juan Sanchez Cotán, Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber," in Smarthistory, August 8, 2015, accessed April 18, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/juan-sanchez-de-cotan-quince-melon-and-cucumber/.

Dr. Carmen Ripollés, "A Still Life of Global Dimensions: Antonio de Pereda’s Still Life with Ebony Chest," in Smarthistory, September 26, 2018, accessed April 19, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/pereda-still-life-w-ebony-chest/.