Two new paintings now on display at the National Gallery
(Artdaily.org)

Long overshadowed by his more famous father, Francisco, Juan de Zurbarán (1620-1649) is one of the greatest still-life painters of 17th-century Spain. His works are extremely rare: barely a dozen paintings survive, all of them still lifes. Having trained with his father in Seville, Juan’s career was cruelly cut short in 1649 by the plague that halved the city`s population. He was just 29 years old. In this monumental canvas, gorgeous outsize lemons fill the basket and sprigs of red lilies, blue delphiniums, red carnations and a delicate lemon blossom lean out from among them. A goldfinch perches on the lip of a Chinese imported ceramic bowl filled with water. Previously unknown and unpublished, this work was recently discovered in a Spanish private collection by Sotheby`s, who negotiated its sale to the National Gallery. Still Life