From May until September, Strawberry Hill House will present two exquisite 18th century masterpieces by one of the most celebrated painters of still life, Dutch artist Jan Van Huysum (1682-1749).

Flowers in a Vase with Crown Imperial and Apple Blossom at the Top and a Statue of Flora (1731-2) and Fruit and Flowers in front of a Garden Vase with an Opium Poppy and a Row of Cypresses (1731-2) will be displayed in public for the first time in ten years, on loan from a private collection.

Evocatively demonstrating Van Huysum’s gift for creating sophisticated still life compositions packed with detail, the pairing has remained together since leaving Van Huysum’s studio - incredibly rare for these kinds of paintings. It is believed they were conceived as pendant pieces from the outset, one featuring mostly fruits, the other depicting flowers.

The paintings are exceptionally well-preserved, giving viewers one of the greatest chances to see up close the brushstrokes that were sometimes as fine as a single hair. Along with the trademark freshness of colour and transparency, they demonstrate what made Van Huysum one of the most in-demand still life painters in 18th century Netherlands.