Background
Rachel Ruysch was born on June 3, 1664 in the Hague, Netherlands. She was the daughter of the scientist Frederik Ruysch and Maria Post.
Confrerie Pictura
Rachel Ruysch was born on June 3, 1664 in the Hague, Netherlands. She was the daughter of the scientist Frederik Ruysch and Maria Post.
In 1679, Ruysch started to study painting under the guidance of Willem van Aelst, a prominent flower painter in Amsterdam, until his death in 1683. Besides painting technique, he taught her how to arrange a bouquet in a vase so it would look spontaneous and less formalized.
Since 1701 to 1708, Ruysch worked in the Hague. In 1708, she became a court painter to Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, in Dusseldorf, where she served until 1716.
Ruysch had painted a number of forest floor pictures, which featured small animals, reptiles, butterflies and fungi in her early work. She later adopted flower painting as her main concern and continued to paint until her death, thus continuing the 17th-century style right down to the middle of the following century.
After returning to Holland, Ruysch kept painting fruit and flower pictures for a prominent clientele. She remained artistically active, proudly inscribing her age on a canvas she completed in 1747, at the age of 83.
Despite the changes in popularity of flower paintings during the years since her death, Ruysch’s reputation has never waned.
Flowers in a Glass Vase, with a Cricket in a Niche
Flowers in a Terracotta Vase on a Stone Balustrade
Flowers in a Glass Vase with a Dragonfly, on a Marble Slab
Flowers in a Glass Vase on a Marble Slab
Still Life of Fruits, Animals and Insects on a Moss Floor
Flowers in a Glass Vase on a Marble Table
Roses, Tulips and Other Flowers in a Glass Vase on a Marble Ledge
Spray of Flowers with Insects and Butterflies on a Marble Slab
Fruit, a Nest and Insects in a Wood
Flowers in a Glass Vase, with Peaches and Red Berries, on a Marble Slab
Roses, Tulips, Ranunculus and Other Flowers in a Glass Vase, with Plums
Tulips and Other Flowers in a Glass Vase
Flowers in a Vase
Flowers, Fruit, Reptiles, and Insects on the Edge of a Wood
Flowers in a Glass Vase, with Fruit on a Marble Slab
Flower Still Life
Still Life of Flowers
Flowers in a Glass Vase, with Pomegranates, on a Marble Balustrade
Flowerpiece with Prunes
Flowers in a Glass Vase on a Balustrade with Colunnade
Still Life with Fruit a Nest and a Lizard
Basket of Flowers
Flowers Around a Tree Trunk, with Insects and Other Animals near a Pond
Flowers in a Glass Vase, with Insects and Peaches, on a Marble Tabletop
Spray of Flowers, with a Beetle on a Stone Balustrade
Flower Bouquet on a Marble Table
Posy of Flowers, with a Red Admiral Butterfly, on a Marble Ledge
Still Life with Flowers on a Marble Slab
Insects and a Lizard in a Wood
Flowers in a Terracotta Vase with Fruit on a Stone Balustrade
Flowers in a Glass Vase, on a Stone Table
Flower Still Life
Flower Still Life
In 1693, Rachel married a portrait painter Juriaen Pool, with whom she had ten children.