Rachel Ruysch was a Dutch still life painter (1664-1750) from Amsterdam, specializing in flower paintings. Ruysch was ranked highly, not only by other female painters, but also by male painters, which was unheard of at the time. She was born into a family that allowed for her to flourish as an artist. Her father, Federik Ruysch, was a highly acclaimed professor in botany and anatomy as well as an amateur artist.
As a way of documenting and embellishing scientific findings, Federik created a set of dioramas in the 17th century. These dioramas consisted of figures created from fetal skeletons surrounded by “hardened arteries and veins, and bladder stones as rocks.” The dozen or so of these dioramas that he built were allegorical themes for the transience of life and a reminder of death otherwise known as a memento mori. Every detail of these dioramas had a connection to the reminder that death is inevitable and to be aware of the present. Elements like snakes and worms symbolized corruption. A mayfly upon the skeleton hand was a metaphor for the fleetingness of life. Ferderik was a greatly talented botanist but also a deeply
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This allowed for her flower paintings distinguish her from other artists of her time. He pieces are dramatic and have dynamic compositions and are bursting with energy. Featured flowers are in all stages of life from fresh buds, blossoming and just losing their petals, an important symbol in Northern Baroque. The floral arrangements are accompanied by additional life forms including butterflies and caterpillars. Rachel Ruysch followed in her father’s footsteps in visualizing the memento mori using botanical elements in works classified as vanitas. Her paintings are not just aesthetically beautiful flowers but rather elegantly composed works that deal greatly with Flemish symbolism and Dutch