In this lavish still-life painting a variety of exotic and extravagant objects is arranged upon a marble table. A large lobster on a silver platter balances on top of an ornate rug and a half-peeled lemon glints in the light reflected from a drinking glass. Dominating the background is an elaborate drinking horn with a highly crafted silver mount.
The objects featured in this painting represent a world of wealth and luxury. When this picture was painted in Amsterdam in the mid-17th century, objects such as lemon, lobster and fine glass were either very rare or extremely expensive.
The most important object in this painting is without doubt the drinking horn, which takes pride of place in the centre of the table. It belonged to the Saint Sebastian Archers' Guild in Amsterdam, and it is possible that the painting was commissioned by one of its members.
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