Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 6 works by Floris van Dyck in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Floris van Dyck left, the most famous is Laid Table with Cheeses and Fruit (detail) (1615), in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Close behind it come Laid Table with Cheese, Fruit and a Berkemeyer (1610) and Laid Table (1622). Our catalog holds 6 works by Floris van Dyck; the gallery has kept the 6 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
In the quiet, contemplative realm of Dutch Golden Age still life, few artists captured the ephemeral beauty of a moment as exquisitely as Floris Claesz van Dijck. His work, Laid Table with Cheeses and Fruit (detail), serves as a breathtaking masterclass in the art of observation. At first glance, the viewer is greeted by a scene of deceptive simplicity: a table draped in white cloth, scattered with the bountiful offerings…
The scene presents a banquet arrangement set upon a white tablecloth with intricate lace edges. A large wedge of cheese and a whole wheel of cheese occupy the central space, their surfaces showing a porous and crumbly texture. Beside them, a bowl contains pears and apples, while a cluster of grapes adds deep purple and green tones to the arrangement. A loaf of bread, various nuts, and a lemon are…
In this 1622 oil on canvas, Floris Claesz van Dijck invites us into a moment of stillness. The scene is a banquet still life, a genre he helped define, centered upon a table draped in a crisp white cloth. This linen provides a stark, clean stage for the objects arranged across it. We see a collection of fruits—apples, oranges, and grapes—resting alongside a loaf of bread and several rolls. There…
The oil on panel painting presents a collection of food and vessels arranged upon a table. A red cloth drapes over the surface, partially covering a white tablecloth underneath. At the top center, a loaf of bread sits as a focal point. To its right, three apples are stacked vertically. In the lower left corner, a bowl contains several oranges. A glass pitcher and a wine glass, both containing liquid,…
In this 1613 composition, we find ourselves seated before a table laid with the humble yet profound offerings of a Dutch household. There is a stillness here, a moment caught in the soft, diffused light that defines the early seventeenth century. Apples are scattered with a natural, unstudied grace—some resting on the left, others tucked into the center, and a few more toward the right. They are accompanied by clusters…
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 3 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Floris van Dyck | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Rijksmuseum |
Amsterdam | 2 | Laid Table with Cheeses and Fruit (detail), Laid Table with Cheeses and Fruit |
 National Gallery |
London | 1 | Laid Table |
 Frans Halsmuseum |
Haren | 1 | Still-Life with Fruit, Nuts and Cheese |
The selection follows Floris van Dyck over 13 years, from 1610 to 1622, keeping the finest originals of each year.
Pick a year to see its originals.
The scene presents a banquet arrangement set upon a white tablecloth with intricate lace edges. A large wedge of cheese and a whole wheel of cheese occupy the central space, their surfaces showing a porous and crumbly texture. Beside them, a bowl contains pears and apples, while a cluster of grapes adds deep purple and green tones to the arrangement. A loaf of bread, various nuts, and a lemon are…
More from 1610
In this 1613 composition, we find ourselves seated before a table laid with the humble yet profound offerings of a Dutch household. There is a stillness here, a moment caught in the soft, diffused light that defines the early seventeenth century. Apples are scattered with a natural, unstudied grace—some resting on the left, others tucked into the center, and a few more toward the right. They are accompanied by clusters…
In the quiet, contemplative realm of Dutch Golden Age still life, few artists captured the ephemeral beauty of a moment as exquisitely as Floris Claesz van Dijck. His work, Laid Table with Cheeses and Fruit (detail), serves as a breathtaking masterclass in the art of observation. At first glance, the viewer is greeted by a scene of deceptive simplicity: a table draped in white cloth, scattered with the bountiful offerings…
More from 1615
In this 1622 oil on canvas, Floris Claesz van Dijck invites us into a moment of stillness. The scene is a banquet still life, a genre he helped define, centered upon a table draped in a crisp white cloth. This linen provides a stark, clean stage for the objects arranged across it. We see a collection of fruits—apples, oranges, and grapes—resting alongside a loaf of bread and several rolls. There…
Laid Table with Cheeses and Fruit (detail) (1615), Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Laid Table with Cheese, Fruit and a Berkemeyer (1610) and Laid Table (1622) come next.
40 years old: Laid Table with Cheeses and Fruit (detail) dates from 1615, and Floris van Dyck was born in 1575.
Our catalog holds 6 works by Floris van Dyck, dated from 1610 to 1622.
Mostly in Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), National Gallery (London) and Frans Halsmuseum (Haren). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1610: 2 of the 6 works on this page were made then, Laid Table with Cheese, Fruit and a Berkemeyer among them.
On this page, the earliest is Laid Table with Cheese, Fruit and a Berkemeyer (1610) and the latest Laid Table (1622).
Wine glass (4), Grapes (4) and Bread (4), across the 6 works on this page.
Oil On Panel, for 3 of the 6 works on this page.
Laid Table with Cheeses and Fruit (detail) and Laid Table with Cheeses and Fruit: the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam holds 2 of the works on this page.
In the quiet, contemplative realm of the Dutch Golden Age, few artists captured the ephemeral beauty of a moment as exquisitely as Floris Claesz van Dijck. A pioneer of the still-life genre, his work serves as a breathtaking masterclass in the art of observation. Born in Delft, Netherlands, his early life and travels would eventually shape him into one of the most significant figures in the development of the banketje, or banquet still life. This specific subgenre, characterized by tables laid with bountiful offerings of cheese, fruit, nuts, and fine tableware, found its definitive voice through his meticulous brushwork.
Van Dijck's artistic journey was marked by a profound connection to the broader European art scene. Around 1600, he was documented in Rome, where he moved within influential circles, including a friendship with Joseph van Arpino. This period of exposure to Italian influences likely contributed to the sophisticated light and texture found in his later works. Upon returning to the Netherlands in 1606, he settled in Haarlem, a city that would become his primary home and the stage for his greatest achievements. In this vibrant artistic hub, he became an established presence, eventually joining the Haarlem Guild of St. Luke and serving as its dean.
The true magic of Van Dijck’s oeuvre lies in his ability to breathe life into inanimate objects. He did not merely paint surfaces; he explored the very essence of matter. Through a masterful manipulation of illumination, he created a world where one can almost feel the velvety skin of an apple or the cool, reflective sheen of a polished pewter plate. Unlike the more aggressive shadows seen in the works of the Caravaggisti, Van Dijck employed a soft, diffused glow that sculpted his subjects, creating an illusion of depth and tactile reality.
His technical prowess allowed him to differentiate between various states of existence with extraordinary precision:
Beyond his individual technical skill, Floris Claesz van Dijck holds a vital place in art history as an innovator. Alongside Nicolaes Gillis, he is credited with inventing the ontbijt, or breakfast and banquet display piece. His influence rippled through the Dutch Golden Age, shaping the trajectories of subsequent painters such as Pieter Claesz and Roelof Koets. He acted as a bridge between the stylized elegance of Mannerism and the robust naturalism of the Baroque period.
While his surviving works are remarkably rare—with fewer than twenty known pieces existing today—their impact remains monumental. Most of his masterpieces are now preserved in prestigious institutions like the Rijksmuseum and the National Gallery, serving as enduring testaments to a man who could turn a simple table setting into a profound exploration of light, order, and the fleeting nature of life.
