See the Flower Paintings of Rachel Ruysch, Whose Stunning Still Lifes Are Finally Getting the Attention They Deserve
Eli Wizevich | Smithsonian.com | 25th April 2025
Ruysch has been flying under the radar for centuries. Her “sumptuous” floral still lifes were painted when botanical samples from the Dutch empire were flooding into Amsterdam. Although still life painting was not prestigious, she painted such a variety of plants and with such accuracy that they seemed akin to (manly) scientific inquiry. Such was her virtuosity that she commanded higher prices than Rembrandt. After her death, Ruysch was more or less forgotten. This is her first solo retrospective ever.