Van Kessel Apple Blossom Chiffon Scarf

DESIGNER'S NOTES

A detailed Fox & Chave silk chiffon scarf with a repeat print derived from the study Flowers & Insects by Jan Van Kessel the Elder (1626-1679).

The work defines the 17th-century fascination with scientific naturalism. Painted with microscopic precision, works like this presented specimens, vivid flowers and iridescent insects, against stark, manuscript-like backgrounds. Moving beyond his grandfather Jan Brueghel’s allegorical style, Van Kessel embraced empirical observation, catering to an elite class of Virtuosi who prized intellectual curiosity and Wunderkammer collections.

A Wunderkammer, was a privately collected cabinet of curiosities consisting of diverse, rare, and exotic objects ranging from natural specimens and scientific instruments to works of art and was intended to reflect the owner's intellectual status and the vast wonder of the known world.

These types of paintings functioned as status symbols of the Age of Discovery, celebrating divine engineering in the smallest creatures. By blending high art with nascent entomology, Van Kessel secured a prestigious profile as Antwerp’s premier specialist in the miniature, bridging the gap between artistic beauty and scientific inquiry.

COLOURS

STYLING

There are many ways to style a Fox & Chave chiffon silk scarf including the basic drape, belted drape and reverse drape. Our chiffon silk scarfs look really good worn in the bandit knot or faux infinity style too. More scarf styling ideas are available in this wonderful How to Tie a Scarf book.