When it comes to Dutch Flower paintings, the only real expert in the field (often literally) is the insect that lives off the stems and petals. As Harry Berger puts it “the caterpillar is connoisseur”.

From Meat Stalls to Mince Pies, and Bubbles to Bread Rolls, this lecture will help you to discover the enormous symbolism that is conveyed by simple every day objects that have been rendered with breath taking accuracy and convey really satisfying moral meaning.

Examining works by Aertsen, Claesz, Steenwyck, de Heem, van Aelst and Mignon; we shall explore the corruption of abundance, the mutability and ephemerality of life and the inevitability of death.