Richmond, VA — VMFA presents this stunning collection of art loaned by philanthropists Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III. More than 80 works, spanning the 16th through early 19th centuries, include paintings by “Old World masters” such as Jan Bruegel the Younger, Canaletto, Francesco Guardi, Peter Paul Rubens, Hubert Robert, Pierre-Jacques Volaire, and others. The collection features paintings and decorative art objects from the Baroque and Rococo periods.

Dr. Sylvain Cordier, VMFA’s Paul Mellon Curator and Head of the Department of European Art, has curated the presentation of the collection in the spirit of an enfilade—an architectural term that describes a series of rooms aligned in a row in traditional aristocratic palaces. Visitors have the opportunity to experience the exquisite artworks in the lavish context of an 18th-century princely apartment where they are invited to travel through space and time and stimulate thoughts and conversations about science, philosophy, history, and spirituality.

Presented in a series of galleries on Level 2, off of the Great Hall, the works of art on view include religious and mythological figures, landscapes and still lifes, East Asian inspirations on European Rococo artists, and compositions from the Grand Tour. Throughout these galleries, Cordier has selected a limited number of works from the VMFA collection to dialogue with and highlight the paintings and decorative art objects from the Saunders collection.

Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder (German, 1493 - 1555), Vanitas Still Life with Skull, Candle, and Hourglass, ca. late 1520s. Oil on panel. Diameter: 6 7/8 in.  Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

The popularity of Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder’s portraits among Cologne’s patrician class made him the city’s preeminent painter in the first half of the 16th century. Vanitas motifs were intended to reinforce the viewer’s awareness of the vanity of human pursuits when confronted with the transience of youth and, ultimately, of corporeal life. The decaying skull, the candle stub with its sputtering flame, the sand passing through the hourglass, and the Latin inscription meaning “Live mindful of death,” together effectively comprise a memento mori, a reminder of the ephemeral nature of material existence. This painting was the reverse side of a now-lost portrait roundel, which was very likely one half of a pendant pair depicting a married couple. The two portraits would have fit together in the manner of an oversized locket for ease of storage and transportation.

Giovanni Battista Salvi Da Sassoferrato (Italian, 1609–1685), Madonna, 17th century, oil on canvas, 32 1/2 x 23 1/2 in. Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, Dutch, 1573 - 1621, Tulips, Roses, Narcissi and Other Flowers in a Glass Beaker, ca. 1614. ca. Oil on opper, 9 7/8 x 6 3/4 in. Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

Exotic fruits and flowers were among the most highly valued imported goods in Middelburg, the capital of Zeeland and a regional office of the Dutch East India Company. By the late 16th century, the city was known for its spectacular gardens of blooms from around the world. Bosschaert, an early pioneer of Dutch still-life painting, began his career in the early 1590s depicting these rare blossoms. The popularity of such paintings was growing among affluent botanical enthusiasts who wanted to enjoy the beauty of seasonal flowers throughout the year. The artist would have used watercolor studies of the red-and-white flame tulips as templates for the specimens in his composition. He avoided overlapping the flowers to retain the individual integrity of each specimen. Bosschaert’s inclusion of a sprig of rosemary was perhaps intended to evoke the pleasing odors that accompany the spectacular colors, while the various insects and delicately rendered vase showcase his talent for imitating a wider spectrum of the natural world.

Jacob van Hulsdonck (Flemish, 1582-1647), Still Life with a Basket of Fruit on a Fruit Strewn Table with Two Butterflies and a Beetle, ca 1620. Oil on panel, 21 7/8 x 28 1/2 in. Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

A native of Antwerp, Hulsdonck appears to have learned how to paint the textures of fruit and render the delicacy of petals from Ambrosius Bosschaert in Middelburg. This admirable still life captures the very best qualities of his rare extant paintings. The water droplets that bead the basket’s overflowing fruits and leaves convey an immediate sense of the freshness of the harvest. A large tortoiseshell butterfly and a small white one, commonly called a cabbage butterfly, seem to be attracted to the sensuous aromas of the fruit, suggested by their ripe tones and varied surfaces. The twirling grapevine provides an unexpected vivaciousness to the simple yet thoughtful composition. The high vantage point allows the viewer to look down upon the fruits that spill across its surface, while the basket itself is shown from a lower perspective that emphasizes the abundance of the cornucopia.

Jan Brueghel the Elder (Flemish, 1568 - 1625) and Jan Brueghel the Younger (Flemish, active in England, 1561 - 1635), Still Life with a Crown of Flowers, Tazza, Jewelry Box, Watch, and Vase of Flowers, ca. 1620. Oil on panel, 8 3/4 in. x 26 1/4 in. Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

From an early age, Jan Brueghel the Younger assisted his father with commissions in his Antwerp workshop. This opulent still life was one of the final collaborations between father and son, completed shortly before the younger Brueghel departed for Italy in the early 1620s. Certain motifs in the painting show evidence of their different hands at work. The modeling of the glass vase is somewhat less refined than that of the ornate gilt tazza—which was commonly used for wine or delicacies such as candied fruit—and the flowers that crown it. Flowers were Brueghel the Elder’s specialty, and the kind of exquisitely delicate brushwork employed here to render the wreath earned him the nickname “the velvet Brueghel.” Other paintings from the Brueghel workshop included flowers from different seasons, jewelry, and other luxurious items, and their combination was intended to evoke the question of whether the beauty of God’s creation surpassed the finest works made by human artifice.

Jan van Kessel I, (Flemish, 1626–1679), A Study of Butterflies, Lizards, Beetles, and Other Insects, late 1650s, oil on copper, laid down on panel, 15 3/4 x 19 3/4 in. Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

Jan van Kessel learned to paint flowers and insects with the accuracy of a scientific naturalist in the studio of his uncle, Jan Brueghel the Younger, in the 1640s. Following tradition, he studied specimens from life and supplemented his observations with printed publications when necessary. This trio of copper panels represents a veritable menagerie of exotic insects, lizards, and spiders, exposing subtle details to the naked eye that normally could only be seen under a microscope. In the larger panel, the artist spaced the specimens in regular intervals, mimicking real entomological displays in collector’s cabinets from the period. The two smaller panels reflect a more naturalistic approach, wherein the capricious behavior of the creatures occur around a branch of larkspur and a sprig of gooseberries. In the Christian context of 17th-century Netherlands, paintings of this kind were appreciated not only for their remarkable naturalism but also as tributes to God’s wisdom, reflecting the observation of the first-century Roman philosopher and naturalist Pliny the Elder that “nature is nowhere more perfect than in the tiniest animals.”

Jan van Kessel I, (Flemish, 1626–1679), A Sprig of Larkspur with Butterflies, Moths, and a Wasp, late 1650s, oil on copper, 5 1/2 x 7 5/8 in. Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

Jan van Kessel learned to paint flowers and insects with the accuracy of a scientific naturalist in the studio of his uncle, Jan Brueghel the Younger, in the 1640s. Following tradition, he studied specimens from life and supplemented his observations with printed publications when necessary. This trio of copper panels represents a veritable menagerie of exotic insects, lizards, and spiders, exposing subtle details to the naked eye that normally could only be seen under a microscope. In the larger panel, the artist spaced the specimens in regular intervals, mimicking real entomological displays in collector’s cabinets from the period. The two smaller panels reflect a more naturalistic approach, wherein the capricious behavior of the creatures occur around a branch of larkspur and a sprig of gooseberries. In the Christian context of 17th-century Netherlands, paintings of this kind were appreciated not only for their remarkable naturalism but also as tributes to God’s wisdom, reflecting the observation of the first-century Roman philosopher and naturalist Pliny the Elder that “nature is nowhere more perfect than in the tiniest animals.”

Jan van Kessel I, (Flemish, 1626–1679), A Sprig of Gooseberries, with a Dragonfly, Butterflies, Beetles, Spiders and a Bee, late 1650s, oil on copper, 5 1/2 x 7 5/8 in. Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

Jan van Kessel learned to paint flowers and insects with the accuracy of a scientific naturalist in the studio of his uncle, Jan Brueghel the Younger, in the 1640s. Following tradition, he studied specimens from life and supplemented his observations with printed publications when necessary. This trio of copper panels represents a veritable menagerie of exotic insects, lizards, and spiders, exposing subtle details to the naked eye that normally could only be seen under a microscope. In the larger panel, the artist spaced the specimens in regular intervals, mimicking real entomological displays in collector’s cabinets from the period. The two smaller panels reflect a more naturalistic approach, wherein the capricious behavior of the creatures occur around a branch of larkspur and a sprig of gooseberries. In the Christian context of 17th-century Netherlands, paintings of this kind were appreciated not only for their remarkable naturalism but also as tributes to God’s wisdom, reflecting the observation of the first-century Roman philosopher and naturalist Pliny the Elder that “nature is nowhere more perfect than in the tiniest animals.”

Gerrit Dou (Dutch, 1613–1675), Man Writing in an Artist’s Studio, 1631–32, oil on panel, 18 1/2 x 15 3/4 in.. Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

This masterpiece from the early period of Dou’s career is a compelling allegory of an artwork’s potential for moral instruction. A large painting is positioned horizontally on an easel in the center of this modest genre scene. Compositions in this format were usually history paintings with subjects that confronted the viewer with intricate or difficult moral and ethical conundrums. An elderly man sits making notes after contemplating the panel before him. To all outward appearances, he is not the painter but rather a scholar of the artwork. Instead of brushes and palette, the chamber is equipped with a violin, a globe, a Bible, and a snuffed candle, respectively suggesting the refined faculties for appreciating the liberal arts, worldly knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and consciousness of the transient nature of mortal existence. Dou situated a snare drum and other military accouterments in the foreground to contrast the man’s scholarly retirement with the choice of a more active and adventurous life, thereby emphasizing the moralizing dimension of the scene.

Jean Valette-Falgores, called Valette-Penot (French, 1710 - 1777), Trompe-l’oeil Letter Board, ca. 1760s-1770s. Oil on canvas, 17 3/4 x 14 1/2 in. Jordan and Thomas Saunders III Collection.

This curious trompe l’oeil was likely part of the decor for an 18th-century cabinet of curiosities. The name “Monsieur de Villeneuve” written on the opened letter in the bottom portion of the composition probably refers to Joachim Faiguet de Villeneuve (1703–1781), an economist and philosopher who contributed several articles concerning economics and religion to the groundbreaking encyclopedia edited by Denis Diderot (1713–1784). The various paper items, engraving tool, letter-writing implements, and fragments of playing cards that surround the suspended scallop shell in the center of the still life may suggest its patron’s preferred occupation, or they may indicate the kinds of objects actually housed in the room the painting adorned. The print in the top left corner reproduces a composition in the style of Renaissance artist Antonio Tempesta (1555–1630), a favorite among art collectors of the time. The book printed with the date 1611 appears to be a posthumous edition of Prophecies of Nostradamus, which had already become a classic of spiritual literature.

Francesco Guardi (Italian, 1712–1793), Piazza San Marco, 1775–85, oil on canvas, 18 5/8 x 30 5/8 in. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Adolph D. and Wilkins C . Williams Fund.

The Piazza San Marco (or Saint Mark’s Square) had been Venice’s political and religious center since before the Middle Ages. The painter’s east-facing perspective includes the monuments that enclose the square on three sides. Its eastern end is dominated by Saint Mark’s Basilica, a cathedral church built in the Byzantine period to serve as the state sanctuary and site of official religious and civic ceremonies. The basilica was attached to the Doge’s Palace, depicted to its right. Obscuring the gothic-style facade of the palace is the freestanding tower of the campanile, a bell tower that had stood in the piazza since the 12th century. The three-story arcades of the Procuratie Vecchie and Procuratie Nuove (the old and new procuracies, respectively) extend along the north and south sides of the square. These were the offices and residences of high officers of state in the days of the republic. Fashionably dressed members of the city’s upper class stroll around the square, enjoying the fine weather of a late afternoon. This seat of Venice’s ruling elite contrasts with the mixing of social classes in Guardi’s canal views.