A Wanli Bowl with Peaches and Plums, and a Stoneware Vase with Carnations on a Table

Binoit came from a French Protestant family who had moved to Germany for religious reasons. An accomplished painter of still lifes and flowers, he spent most of his career in Frankfurt and nearby Hanau. His work demonstrates a study of the still-lifes of his contemporaries, in particular those of the German artist Flegel. As Binoit was emerging as an artist, so too was the still-life subject as an independent genre. He belongs to a generation still tied to the Mannerist tradition of presenting objects additively rather than as an ensemble. The seemingly casual presentation of objects across the table surface and the dramatic perspective angle of this painting are typical of his works. Binoit is reputed for animating his paintings with rich colours, exotic objects, such as the Wanli bowl here (chinese porcelain from the Ming dynasty, Wanli period 1573-1620), and lively insects. With great sophistication he has rendered the fruit, the carnations, the vase and the various insects. Such details reflect the emergence of modern natural science and the detailed study of botanical and biological forms. The work is signed by the artist with his monogram at the lower right and is executed on copper, signifying that it was an important commission.