Rachel Ruysch: Life and Work - Dutch Still Life Painter

This lecture explores the remarkable life and career of Dutch still life painter Rachel Ruysch, who defied gender constraints of her time to become one of the most sought-after and highly paid painters in the Netherlands. Learn about Ruysch's extraordinary six-decade career, her achievements as a working mother of ten children, her two lottery wins, and how her works were collected by Europe's most powerful noble courts. Discover how her flower and fruit arrangements highlighted global biodiversity in botany and zoology, made possible through Dutch trade and colonial exploitation. Dr. Robert Schindler, William Hutton Curator of European Art and curator of the exhibition, guides viewers through this fascinating journey at the Toledo Museum of Art's Little Theater.