Still Life with Carp, c.1635 Sebastian Stoskopff (1597-1657)

We create our paintings with museum quality and covering the highest academic standards. Once we get your order, it will be entirely hand-painted with oil on canvas. All the materials we use are the highest level, being totally artist graded painting materials and linen canvas.

We will add 1.6" (4 cm) additional blank canvas all over the painting for stretching.

High quality and detailing in every inch are time consuming. The reproduction of Sebastian Stoskopff also needs time to dry in order to be completely ready for shipping, as this is crucial to not be damaged during transportation.
Based on the size, level of detail and complexity we need 8-9 weeks to complete the process.

In case the delivery date needs to be extended in time, or we are overloaded with requests, there will be an email sent to you sharing the new timelines of production and delivery.

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We not stretch and frame our oil paintings due to several reasons:
Painting reproduction is a high quality expensive product, which we cannot risk to damage by sending it being stretched.
Also, there are postal restrictions, regarding the size of the shipment.
Additionally, due to the dimensions of the stretched canvas, the shipment price may exceed the price of the product itself.

You can stretch and frame your painting in your local frame-shop.

Once the painting Still Life with Carp is ready and dry, it will be shipped to your delivery address. The canvas will be rolled-up in a secure postal tube.

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The painting presents a large, gleaming carp resting atop an earthenware bowl, which in turn sits precariously on a wooden chip box. The subdued interior, marked by rough-hewn stone walls in the background, envelops the scene in a hushed darkness. Just above, an extinguished candle with wax drips still clinging to its surface heightens the sense of suspended time. To the right, a sturdy copper jug with a closed lid suggests everyday use and understated functionality, balancing the delicate, almost vulnerable presence of the fish.

A warm palette, focused on golden-yellows, deep browns, and subdued metallic tones, pervades the composition. The carp’s scales catch and refract what little light is available, creating a subtle glow that lends the scene a quiet luminosity. This calibrated use of limited yet radiant color contrasts with the somber setting, underscoring the physicality and gentle sheen of each object. The interplay of shadow and light is handled with such precision that the viewer senses a tangible weight in the carp and the objects around it, a testament to the artist’s sensitivity to tone and texture.

From a technical standpoint, the painter demonstrates a finely tuned glazing technique, especially evident in the carp’s reflective scales. The layered applications of paint result in a near-translucent effect, imbuing the creature’s skin with a life-like iridescence. Each brushstroke is carefully modulated to achieve a varied surface quality, from the smooth, carefully rendered bowl to the more subdued, matte finish of the chip box. These textural distinctions are key to conveying the tactile presence of the still life, guiding the eye from one object to the next. The minimalist arrangement further directs attention to the carp’s central position, while the verticality of the extinguished candle above provides a subtle, yet decisive focal counterpoint.

The historical context of this work, produced during the painter’s years in Paris, aligns with the prevailing vanitas tradition. The fish is widely interpreted as a religious allusion, symbolizing Christ’s body, while the chip box alludes to a container for the Host. In this way, the painting reveals a reverent sensitivity to themes of transience and devotion. By situating these objects in an unadorned, nearly monastic setting, the artist underscores both their physical reality and their symbolic undertones, offering a contemplative view of the ephemeral nature of life itself.