Still Life paintings date back to the 15th Century, but it was seen as a lowly genre for many years. It wasn't until the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th Century, that it was elevated to the status of history and portrait painting, with the emerging middle-classes who wanted to decorate their homes with floral scenes. Rachel Ruysch became famous for her paintings of still lifes, especially flowers in vases. Being the daughter of a botanist allowed her to study flowers under a microscope and this is why her paintings are full of accurate details. Watch our film on her 1716 work 'Flowers in a Glass Vase with a Tulip' to discover the memento mori message hidden in the work.