Picturing Excess: Jan Davidsz de Heem

Experience the monumental still-life paintings by Dutch artist Jan Davidsz de Heem, displayed together for the first time ever.

Heaving with foods, textiles and decorative objects, these four enormous and indulgent tablescape scenes are the highlight of Picturing Excess: Jan Davidsz de Heem. Our fascinating new display explores the phenomenally popular ‘sumptuous still lifes’ known in Dutch as ‘pronkstilleven’, painted in the 1600s at the height of Dutch colonial trade.

Explore the history behind the artworks, the spoils of global trade and the moral messages behind the compositions. And discover the artist’s extraordinary skills and techniques; from exotic fruits to coveted crustaceans, our state-of-the-art scientific equipment and research has brought to light the ingenious tricks used to capture the texture, colours and luminosity of these luxuries so convincingly with paint.

This display is free to visit and there's no need to book.