Still life with pewter potters' guild flagon – Marjolein van den Berg

A monumental, upright still life with a pewter Schleifkan: the large guild flagon with tap of the Potters’ Guild, from the collection of Jan Beekhuizen. The flagon stands on a white cloth in front of a softly glowing curtain; the play of light on the matt pewter is the heart of the painting. Painted in acrylic on canvas by Marjolein van den Berg, c. 2011, as part of her series of still lifes with pewter and archaeological finds. Illustrated in the exhibition catalogue as no. 11, ‘Schleifkan van het Pottenbakkersgilde’ (canvas size 55 X 110 cm). Marjolein van den Berg (Ursem, 1971) trained at the Tekenacademie and the Grafische school in Amsterdam (1987–1992) and then spent many years painting trompe-l’oeil murals and large panels in private homes, on walls and ceilings – painting that makes you feel you could walk straight through the wall. As a child she was already searching for ‘hidden treasure’, and she has kept doing so with a metal detector. Around 2011 she painted a series of still lifes with pewter and archaeological finds: her own finds, those of her detecting friends – many from spoil soil from historic town centres, including Amsterdam – and pieces from the collection of pewter dealer Jan Beekhuizen. The series was shown at his art and antiques gallery on the Nieuwe Spiegelstraat in Amsterdam, alongside the selling exhibition Pewter Ware 19. She works exclusively in acrylic; the colour palette and the remarkable fall of light, with the dark mood of the 17th-century masters, are characteristic of her work. The painting is in good condition. Paint layer intact: no craquelure, tears, paint loss or retouching visible; canvas taut. Frame with light signs of use (small scuffs along the edges). Marjolein signed her work either ‘Marjolein’ or ‘Bellezza’. Dimensions (with frame): 60.5 cm wide X 115.4 cm high X 3.2 cm deep. Technique: acrylic on canvas, hand-painted. Artist: Marjolein van den Berg, the Netherlands, c. 2011.