(Florence 1642–1710)
Tulips, carnations and other flowers in an urn on a ledge, with the coat-of-arms of the Della Rovere family on the vase,
oil on canvas, 120.5 x 85 cm, framed

Provenance:
probably Vittoria della Rovere, Grand Duchess of Tuscany;
art market;
where acquired by the present owner

The strong directional lighting evident in the present painting, in addition to highlighting the extraordinary variety of flowers represented, emphasizes the gilded vase decorated with floral and vegetable festoons and the della Rovere coat-of-arms are given prominence supported by two figures and surmounted by a grotesque mask.

It has been suggested that heraldic device on the vase indicates that the patron of this painting was Vittoria della Rovere (1622-1694), the last heir of the Duchies of Rovere and Montefeltro who became the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, when she married Ferdinand II de’ Medici in 1634. She was among the principal patrons of Andrea Scacciati, possessing twenty-one of his paintings in the Villa del Poggio Imperiale, Florence. The present canvas might have formed one half of a pair of paintings of the same subject, commissioned from the artist by the Medici-della Rovere: the other painting might have been dedicated to the duchess’ husband and represented the Medici coat-of-arms and, hung together, the works would have celebrated the couple’s union.

Andrea Scacciati was the leading specialist of still-life painting in Florence, alongside Bartolomeo Bimbi (1648-1730 and this modern genre of painting was especially appreciated by the Grand Ducal family. Andrea Scacciati’s work is stylistically distinctive and he was celebrated for his flower still life paintings in part due to the wealth and variety of his palette, which is especially characterised by its broad range of reds.