The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles has acquired two significant 17th-century Dutch still life paintings. The first is Jan Davidsz. de Heem's 'Glass Vase with Flowers and Fruit' (c. 1673–74), a work the museum had sought for over twenty years, which recently emerged from a private German collection. The second is Pieter Claesz's 'Still Life with Assorted Fruit' (1597/98–1660), a 'fruitagje' painting purchased at a Sotheby's auction for $1.64 million.
These acquisitions strengthen the Getty's holdings of Northern European art and highlight the museum's focused collecting strategy. The De Heem painting is a prime example of Dutch illusionism and symbolic vanitas imagery, while the Claesz work represents an influential earlier style. The purchase, particularly the Claesz at a price above its estimate, also signals continued institutional demand for high-quality Old Master works in the current art market.