This pastel still life, titled Stilleven II by the artist, was created by Dutch painter, draughtsman, and etcher Johan Hendrik Baartscheer (1874-1937), who trained at the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Amsterdam between 1895 and 1899 and belonged to the artists' association Kunstenaarsvereniging Sint Lucas. Baartscheer worked across landscape, portrait, and still life, moving between oil painting, etching, and pastel, and his work in this last medium reflects the intimate naturalism of the Hague School alongside the formal restraint of the Amsterdam School. The composition centers on a deep white ceramic bowl holding five apples, arranged in a loose pyramid against a warm ground of deep browns and golds. Layered pastel builds the rounded volume and mottled skin of the fruit through greens, yellows, and carmine reds, while a light source from the upper left catches the rim of the bowl and casts a soft shadow to the right. The piece is signed "J.H. Baartscheer" in the lower left corner. The reverse carries a period exhibition entry label reading "Inzender: J.H. Baartscheer, Adres: Kerkstr. 218 A'dam, Titel: Stilleven II, Prijs: niet te koop" — the artist's own submission details, giving his name, his address at Kerkstraat 218 in Amsterdam, the work's title, and its status as not for sale. Labels of this kind were standard on exhibition submission forms of the period, allowing organizers to identify each entry and return unsold works to the participating artist, consistent with the "not for sale" notation here. The work is set in a black ebonized wood frame with a stepped profile, characteristic of Dutch framing traditions of the period. A piece of this scale suits a study, a reading corner, or a grouping of small still lifes in a hallway or dining room.
Specifications
ConditionGoodColorsBlack, Brown, Green, RedMaterialGlass, Paper, WoodNumber of items1OrientationLandscapeArt sizeMediumHeight45 cmWidth51 cmSigns of usageScratches, Chipped