Flowers in a square glass.

The square glass vase became a recurring motif in Bosschaert's late work, and this 1620 panel in Rijksmuseum Twenthe is a refined example of his final productive years. Square vessels were less common than round or cylindrical forms and required the artist to negotiate flat reflective planes rather than curved ones, producing a distinct visual effect on the painted surface. By 1620, Bosschaert had spent decades in Middelburg, then Arnemuiden, Bergen op Zoom, and Utrecht, always catering to wealthy collectors who prized these dense, jewel-like arrangements. The flowers depicted — likely including tulips, roses, and small decorative blooms — were selected partly for their symbolic resonance and partly for their visual variety: different petal textures, colors, and forms allowed Bosschaert to demonstrate the full range of his technical skill on a small panel. Rijksmuseum Twenthe holds several important Dutch Golden Age still lifes, and this work sits naturally among them as a characteristic example of the Zeeland school Bosschaert founded.

The flat sides of a square glass vessel present reflective planes that demand accurate depiction of light bouncing off straight edges — a technical problem distinct from painting round vases. Bosschaert's fine brushwork on panel achieves crisp petal edges and precise stem delineation. Likely executed with a limited warm palette of lead white, vermilion, and organic greens.