Antonio Pereda is a prominent painter of the Madrid school, who was influenced by Velázquez. He painted pictures on historical and biblical scenes, but gained great fame thanks to his still lifes. In the presented work, the objects are arranged so that the viewer can admire and how their forms and intricate decor should be considered.
In the work there is no place for randomness, almost obligatory in the Flemish still life, everything is laid out in a certain strict order. The central place is occupied by a large black wood casket lined with white bone plates. From the open box of a casket a piece of motley fabric woven with bright folk ornament hangs. Various ceramic items are located on the casket and around it: a red vase with stucco ornamentation, a vessel with an ornamental painting in which a winged female figure is noticeable, and other, less ceremonial vessels.
Pereda carefully wrote out such details as a broken edge at the earthenware jug or abraded glaze on the painted pattern, traces of time on the fabric. The artist enters into the picture an interesting detail – a big-bellied glass jar filled with clear water. Immediately lie a piece of cheese, biscuits and pastries, neatly laid out on a piece of white paper. Diligently conveying the color of each individual object, the master did not strive to come to one common gamut of the work as a whole, but this made the still life very elegant and attractive.
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