Through the eyes of Pieter Casteels the world of animals, flowers, and landscapes is filled with mysterious beauty. His paintings testify to a deep understanding of nature and its contrast with the human world. In keeping with the taste of his time, he turned to still lifes, similar in style and form to those of Melchior D'Hondecoeter. Casteels learned the craft of painting from his father in Antwerp, but his work took him to England, where he further developed his vocation, and gained recognition.
The Dutch painter was particularly fond of blossoms and flowers. Many of his works show harmonious compositions of flower vases in rich colors, framed by antique columns, or presented on pedestals and tables. The individual characteristics of the different plants are lovingly worked out in great detail, so that each variety is shown off as naturally as possible. Casteels' compositions never seem stiff, or forced. The flowers he painted are arranged, but still appear wild and natural. They strive in every possible direction, and one almost gets the impression that the vases could barely hold them in place.
The full flowers stand out strongly against the dark backgrounds, but at the same time, as a viewer of his works, you can guess that this beauty in nature never lasts. It is clear that decay plays as important a role in Casteels' paintings as young life. Not all the flowers are perfect and fresh. On the ground, next to the vases, one can discover wilted blossoms that have fallen in many of his still lifes. Casteels thus lightly depicts the contrast inherent in every living thing: color and vitality exist simultaneously with the reminder that everything is ephemeral.
The same is true of the elements of human life that he incorporated into his still lifes. You can see classic buildings that may have once been built to last forever, but have now come down. Broken columns and walls stand abandoned, inhabited on canvas only by flocks of colorful animals. Monumental buildings and people painted by Casteels seem almost small and insignificant in the vast landscapes. Only the various creatures fill the canvas with color and movement. Sometimes he depicted monkeys and songbirds in various positions, sometimes dogs, peacocks, or pheasants, but also arktszenen and urban life. Through his talent and deep visual studies, he captured a variety of species and impressions. All this makes you dream and think when you look at Casteels' art. In his own way, he celebrated nature and man, yet never lost sight of the finite nature of life. Ironically, this is exactly what makes his works something timeless.
Through the eyes of Pieter Casteels the world of animals, flowers, and landscapes is filled with mysterious beauty. His paintings testify to a deep understanding of nature and its contrast with the human world. In keeping with the taste of his time, he turned to still lifes, similar in style and form to those of Melchior D'Hondecoeter. Casteels learned the craft of painting from his father in Antwerp, but his work took him to England, where he further developed his vocation, and gained recognition.
The Dutch painter was particularly fond of blossoms and flowers. Many of his works show harmonious compositions of flower vases in rich colors, framed by antique columns, or presented on pedestals and tables. The individual characteristics of the different plants are lovingly worked out in great detail, so that each variety is shown off as naturally as possible. Casteels' compositions never seem stiff, or forced. The flowers he painted are arranged, but still appear wild and natural. They strive in every possible direction, and one almost gets the impression that the vases could barely hold them in place.
The full flowers stand out strongly against the dark backgrounds, but at the same time, as a viewer of his works, you can guess that this beauty in nature never lasts. It is clear that decay plays as important a role in Casteels' paintings as young life. Not all the flowers are perfect and fresh. On the ground, next to the vases, one can discover wilted blossoms that have fallen in many of his still lifes. Casteels thus lightly depicts the contrast inherent in every living thing: color and vitality exist simultaneously with the reminder that everything is ephemeral.
The same is true of the elements of human life that he incorporated into his still lifes. You can see classic buildings that may have once been built to last forever, but have now come down. Broken columns and walls stand abandoned, inhabited on canvas only by flocks of colorful animals. Monumental buildings and people painted by Casteels seem almost small and insignificant in the vast landscapes. Only the various creatures fill the canvas with color and movement. Sometimes he depicted monkeys and songbirds in various positions, sometimes dogs, peacocks, or pheasants, but also arktszenen and urban life. Through his talent and deep visual studies, he captured a variety of species and impressions. All this makes you dream and think when you look at Casteels' art. In his own way, he celebrated nature and man, yet never lost sight of the finite nature of life. Ironically, this is exactly what makes his works something timeless.
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