Still Life with Roemer, Salt Cellar, Tobacco, Lemon, and Olives

Jan Jansz. van de Velde III’s Still Life with Roemer, Salt Cellar, Tobacco, Lemon, and Olives is a quiet yet complex painting from the Dutch Golden Age.

In 17th-century Holland, still life paintings like this were more than just depictions of objects; they carried hidden meanings. The collection of items—the tall glass roemer, the imported lemon, and the olives—celebrate the nation’s success in global trade and the rising wealth of its citizens.

However, there is a moral message here, too. The peeled lemon and the half-full glass are often symbolic reminders that earthly pleasures and life itself are fleeting. The painting beautifully balances the celebration of material comfort with a quiet reflection on the passage of time.