Exhibit of Women Still Life Painters At The Hyde Collection | Glens Falls | Now through March 8, 2026

Thursday, January 22, 2026 10:00 AM
Sunday, March 8, 2026 5:00 PM

The Hyde Collection 161 Warren Street Glens Falls, NY, 12801 United States (map)

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A Feast Of Fruit And Flowers: Women Still Life Painters At The Hyde Collection

Still life painting by woman artist Fede Galizia (Italian, ca. 1578-ca. 1630), Still Life with Apples, Pears, Cucumbers, Figs, and a Melon, ca. 1625-1630 — Fede Galizia (Italian, ca. 1578-ca. 1630), *Still Life with Apples, Pears, Cucumbers, Figs, and a Melon*, ca. 1625-1630, Oil on panel, National Gallery of Art, Washington.

This winter, art lovers in the Southern Adirondacks have a compelling reason to linger indoors—and linger thoughtfully. A Feast of Fruit and Flowers: Women Still Life Painters of the Seventeenth Century and Beyond, now on view at The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls through March 8, 2026, offers a richly layered look at the women artists who helped shape one of Western art’s most enduring genres.

Perfectly timed for cold-weather culture seekers, the exhibition appeals to visitors exploring the Lake George region, Gore Mountain skiers seeking an off-slope activity, and anyone seeking standout art events in the Adirondacks.

A genre born at the table.

Still life of flowers by Rachel Ruysch (Netherlands) Floral Still life, 1686 — Rachel Ruysch (Netherlands, 1664-1750), *Floral Still Life*, 1686, Oil on Canvas, Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester.

Still life painting emerged as a recognized genre in seventeenth-century Europe, celebrating the beauty of everyday objects—flowers in full bloom, ripe fruit, gleaming tableware, and carefully arranged food. While history often centers on male artists, A Feast of Fruit and Flowers reframes the narrative by highlighting the critical role women painters played in the genre’s development.

At a time when women faced strict limitations on acceptable artistic subjects, still life offered a rare creative opening. It allowed women to work professionally, often from their homes, and to build reputations based on technical mastery, keen observation, and symbolic depth.

Masterworks by pioneering women artists.

The exhibition brings together exceptional loans from museums across the country, featuring works by some of the most important women still-life painters of their time. Among them:

Fede Galizia, known for her precise compositions and jewel-like realism
Clara Peeters, whose detailed food still lifes often included subtle self-portraits reflected in metal surfaces
Maria Sibylla Merian, celebrated for blending scientific study with artistic beauty
Rachel Ruysch, one of the most successful still-life painters of the Dutch Golden Age

These artists elevated still life beyond decoration, using food and flowers to explore abundance, transience, faith, and the natural world.

From then to now.

The Hyde Collection extends the conversation with a concluding epilogue that features more modern examples of still life painting. This section demonstrates how the genre continued to resonate with women artists over time, adapting to new artistic movements and cultural shifts while maintaining its symbolic power.

By placing seventeenth-century works alongside later interpretations, the exhibition underscores still life as a living tradition—one that continues to evolve and reflect the eras, concerns, and voices of women artists.

Victoria Dubourg, Roses in a Porcelain Planter, c. 1875-1900, oil on canvas. — Victoria Dubourg, *Roses in a Porcelain Planter,* c. 1875-1900, oil on canvas. Clark Art Institute, 1955.726

Plan your visit.

A Feast of Fruit and Flowers is on view now through March 8, 2026, at The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls. Visitors are encouraged to check The Hyde Collection’s website or Facebook page for current hours, admission information, and related programming.

The museum’s regular hours are Thursday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Check the website for extended hours during holidays.

For those seeking the best art exhibitions in the Adirondacks—or simply a warm, inspiring place to spend a winter afternoon—this exhibition delivers a visual and historical feast.