Rachel Ruysch Silk Habotai Scarf
Length: Width: Dry clean only
100% Habotai Silk
Hand Rolled Hems
An abundantly floral Fox & Chave silk habotai scarf featuring elements from an 18th century still life painting entitled Flowers in a Glass Vase by the Dutch painter Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750)
Ruysch was the best documented female painter of the Dutch Golden Age, a period of commercial, scientific and artistic dominance that provided unrivalled prosperity for the Netherlands.
Celebrated for her scientifically precise floral still life paintings, Ruysch was the daughter of a famous anatomist, and so had unique access to rare specimens, allowing her to create 'impossible bouquets' that combined flowers from different seasons in hyper-realistic detail. Her work is defined by dramatic lighting, dark backgrounds, and the inclusion of insects or decaying petals to symbolise life's fragility (vanitas).
Unusually for her time, Ruysch maintained a prolific career while raising ten children and became the first female member of The Hague’s painters’ guild. She was internationally famous and commanded prices far higher than Rembrandt during her lifetime.
