Still Life with Roemer, Salt Cellar, Tobacco, Lemon, and Olives, Jan Jansz. van de Velde (III), 1651

Still Life with Roemer, Salt Cellar, Tobacco, Lemon, and Olives, Jan Jansz. van de Velde (III), 1651

oil on canvas, h 70.5cm × w 91cm × d 7cm More details

This painting showcases the wealth of products brought to the Netherlands by various trading companies. Tobacco and salt were obtained by the Dutch West India Company (WIC). Tobacco came mainly from South America, while salt was initially imported from Spain and Portugal until the Eighty Years’ War and thereafter from Cape Verde and Brazil. Trade, often accompanied by colonial aggression, was the primary driver of Dutch prosperity during this time.