Juan de Arellano (1614–1676) and His Flower Garlands

The work of Juan de Arellano, a prominent Spanish painter and creator of flower garland paintings, proved influential in the 17th century Spanish art. Arellano’s creative path was far from easy. In the early stage of Juan de Arellano’s career, he concentrated on religious themes and human figures, but neither reflected his particular talent. Inspired by Flemish (Daniel Seghers) and Italian artists (Mario Nuzzi), Arellano started to paint flower still lifes, such as flowers in a vase, flowers in a basket and images framed by a flower garland. Paintings with flower garlands gained popularity not only in Flemish art, but also in Spain in the 17th century. Nowadays flower garland paintings are still popular with viewers and researchers, hence the number of garland paintings exhibitions, for instance, «Ars vivendi. Frans Snyders and 17th century Flemish Still Lifes» in the Hermitage (2024). Arellano transitioned from religious compositions with garlands through landscapes with garlands to floral still lifes. Thus, the trend towards decorativism manifested itself as decorative art flourished in Spain in the second half of the 17th century.

1. Kalmykova V.V. (2021) Tsvety. Velikie polotna [Flowers. Great paintings], Moscow, Belyi gorod, 240 p. (In Russian)

2. Buenda J.R. (1998) Juan de Arellano, 1614–1676, Archivo español de arte, LXXI, no. 283 julio-septiembre, pp. 335–337. (In Spanish)

3. Duque M.O. (1986) Pintura de flores. La obra de Juan Arellano [Flower painting. The work of Juan Arellano], Goya: Revista de arte, no. 191, pp. 272–279. (In Spanish)

4. Luna J.J. (2009) El bodegón español en el Prado. De Van der Hamen a Goya [The Spanish still life in the Prado. From Van der Hamen to Goya], Madrid, Museo Del Prado, 178 p. (In Spanish)

5. Palomino de Castro y Velasco A. (1739) An account of the lives and works of the most eminent Spanish painters, sculptors and architects, and where their several performances are to be seen, London, Printed for Sam. Harding, 175 p.

6. Pérez Sánchez A.E. (1998) Juan de Arellano 1614–1676, Madrid, Caja Madrid, 275 p. (In Spanish)

7. Saltillo M. del. (1953) Artistas madrileños (1592–1850) [Madrid artists (1592–1850)], Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Excursiones, no. 57, pp. 137–243. (In Spanish)

8. Sánchez del Peral J.R. (2006) Enciclopedia del Museo Nacional del Prado [Encyclopedia of the National Prado Museum], vol. II, 2346 p. (In Spanish)

9. Trinidad de A.S., Mercedes O.M. (1995) Floreros y bodegones españoles en el Museo del Prado, 1600–1800 [Spanish vases and still lifes in the Prado Museum, 1600–1800], Madrid, Museo Nacional Del Prado, 146 p. (In Spanish)

10. Valdivieso González E. (1979) Unas vanitas de Arellano y Camilo [Some vanitas from Arellano and Camilo], Boletín del Seminario de Estudios de Arte y Arqueología: BSAA, no. 45, pp. 479–482. (In Spanish)