--- title: "Oil on Board/Canvas Still Life by Henk Helmantel | Curiosa.com" description: "An oil painting depicting a tabletop arrangement of utilitarian objects: a cylindrical rusted metal tin, an open white cardboard box, an open red cardboard b..." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Product", "name": "Oil on Board/Canvas Still Life by Henk Helmantel", "description": "An oil painting depicting a tabletop arrangement of utilitarian objects: a cylindrical rusted metal tin, an open white cardboard box, an open red cardboard box, an empty cardboard tube, and folded sheets of paper. The composition is set against a mottled, desaturated green-grey background and rests on a warm-toned wooden surface. The work is illuminated by a strong, single-source light from the upper left, creating deep cast shadows. A dark-stained wooden frame with a gilded inner slip surrounds the piece. The bottom left quadrant contains the signature 'H. Helmantel' and the date '1982'. A gallery or museum label is visible on the wall to the right of the frame, identifying the artist as Henk Helmantel (b. 1945) and the title as 'Stilleven met dozen'.", "image": [ "https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1774694140916.jpg", "https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/2-1774694140917.jpg", "https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/3-1774694140917.jpg" ], "category": "paintings", "offers": { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "priceCurrency": "USD", "lowPrice": 15000, "highPrice": 25000, "availability": "https://schema.org/LimitedAvailability" }, "brand": { "@type": "Person", "name": "The Collector" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://curiosa.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Archive", "item": "https://curiosa.com/archive" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paintings", "item": "https://curiosa.com/archive/paintings" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Oil on Board/Canvas Still Life by Henk Helmantel" } ] } ] --- [Skip to main content](#main-content) Open menu [Curiosa ](/) [Home](/) [How it works](/how-it-works)[Leaderboard](/leaderboard)[Museum](/museum)[Pricing](/pricing) Art [Paintings](/archive/paintings)[Prints & posters](/archive/prints)[Photography](/archive/photography)[Asian art](/archive/asian)[Tribal & ethnographic](/archive/tribal)[Browse all categories](/archive) Design [Interior](/archive/interior)[Decorative objects](/archive/decorative)[Ceramics & pottery](/archive/ceramics)[Mechanical & industrial](/archive/mechanical)[Maps & globes](/archive/maps)[Musical instruments](/archive/music)[Browse all categories](/archive) Jewelry & watches [Jewelry](/archive/jewelry)[Watches](/archive/watches)[Gemstones](/archive/gemstones)[Browse all categories](/archive) Collectibles [Trading cards](/archive/trading-cards)[Memorabilia](/archive/memorabilia)[Rare coins & currency](/archive/coins)[Stamps](/archive/stamps)[Comic books & graphic novels](/archive/comics)[Vinyl records](/archive/vinyl)[Browse all categories](/archive) Antiques & curiosities [Antiques](/archive/antiques)[Historical relics](/archive/relics)[Fossils](/archive/fossils)[Science & curiosities](/archive/science)[Folklore & occult](/archive/folklore)[Militaria](/archive/militaria)[Religious & devotional](/archive/religious)[Browse all categories](/archive) [Sign In](/auth)[Try a scan](/scan) # Oil on Board/Canvas Still Life by Henk Helmantel ![1982 oil painting by Henk Helmantel showing a still life of a rusty tin and cardboard boxes on a wooden table, framed in dark wood. - view 1](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1774694140916.jpg) 1/3 ![Oil on Board/Canvas Still Life by Henk Helmantel - view 1](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1774694140916.jpg?width=200&quality=75) ![Oil on Board/Canvas Still Life by Henk Helmantel - view 2](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/2-1774694140917.jpg?width=200&quality=75) ![Oil on Board/Canvas Still Life by Henk Helmantel - view 3](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/3-1774694140917.jpg?width=200&quality=75) Estimated value $15,000 - $25,000 Rarity Scarce(6/10) Type Museum Object Category [Paintings](/archive/paintings) Era 1982 Origin 🇳🇱 Netherlands Artist / Creator Henk Helmantel Authenticity Very High (95%) 41 ## OIL ON BOARD/CANVAS STILL LIFE BY HENK HELMANTEL: IDENTIFICATION An oil painting depicting a tabletop arrangement of utilitarian objects: a cylindrical rusted metal tin, an open white cardboard box, an open red cardboard box, an empty cardboard tube, and folded sheets of paper. The composition is set against a mottled, desaturated green-grey background and rests on a warm-toned wooden surface. The work is illuminated by a strong, single-source light from the upper left, creating deep cast shadows. A dark-stained wooden frame with a gilded inner slip surrounds the piece. The bottom left quadrant contains the signature 'H. Helmantel' and the date '1982'. A gallery or museum label is visible on the wall to the right of the frame, identifying the artist as Henk Helmantel (b. 1945) and the title as 'Stilleven met dozen'. Compare with other paintings in the archive: [Still Life with Cardboard Boxes by Henk Helmantel](https://curiosa.com/archive/paintings/dozenstilleven-box-still-life-by-henk-helmantel), ["Stilleven met kruiken, boeken en tabakszakje" by Henk Helmantel](https://curiosa.com/archive/paintings/stilleven-met-kruiken-boeken-en-tabakszakje), [Surrealist Painting by William Vandenjoc](https://curiosa.com/archive/paintings/a-fortunate-return). ## CROSS-CULTURAL PARALLELS ### Where This Object Echoes 17th-Century Dutch Golden Age 1600-1650 The compositional structure directly references 'ontbijtjes' (breakfast pieces) by painters like Pieter Claesz, using the same overlapping diagonal arrangements. ### Meaning Through Time Late 20th Century The elevation of disposable, mass-produced industrial packing materials (cardboard boxes) to subjects of intense, reverent study usually reserved for luxury goods. ## PERIOD & ATTRIBUTION Created in 1982, this work exemplifies the Noordelijke Realisten (Northern Realists) movement, a late 20th-century collective of Dutch painters operating primarily out of the Groningen region. These artists actively rejected post-war abstraction, choosing instead to revive the rigorous ... Created in 1982, this work exemplifies the Noordelijke Realisten (Northern Realists) movement, a late 20th-century collective of Dutch painters operating primarily out of the Groningen region. These artists actively rejected post-war abstraction, choosing instead to revive the rigorous observational techniques and chiaroscuro lighting typical of the 17th-century Dutch Golden Age. By substituting traditional vanitas subjects like silver goblets or exotic fruits with discarded modern packaging like cardboard and paper, the artist subverts historical expectations while maintaining classical formal geometry. Read full story ## COLLECTOR NOTES 1 A dedicated museum for his work, Museum de Weem, opened in Westeremden in 1985, housed in a reconstructed 13th-century rectory. ## SCARCITY Scarce 80-90% Common Legendary Genuinely harder to find. Perhaps only dozens come to market annually. Collectors actively watch for these pieces. Rarity 6/10. Curiosa currently catalogues 16 paintings items at rarity 6 or higher. ### Typical Characteristics - Dozens per year at market - Documented provenance valued - Active collector pursuit ### AUTHENTICITY CONFIDENCE Very High (95% confidence) #### Confidence Factors - Presence of an institutional/gallery exhibition label directly next to the work - Signature execution and placement perfectly match the artist's known 1980s output - The handling of the light, specifically on the rusted metal and corrugated edges, requires a level of technical mastery consistent with the established artist [How does authenticity detection work?](/fake-art-detection) ## THE ART SPECIALIST'S TAKE Museum-Trained Art Historian Connoisseur Identification is absolute due to the clear, dated signature matching the artist's hand, corroborated by the adjacent institutional wall label identifying the exact title and creator. ### KEY EVIDENCE - 1 Wall label reading 'Henk Helmantel (geb. 1945) - Stilleven met dozen' - 2 Direct painterly signature 'H. Helmantel 1982' recorded in the lower left - 3 Specific application of single-source chiaroscuro lighting over meticulous observational drawing - 4 Cassetta-style dark profile frame with gilded slip, the standard historical framing choice for the Northern Realist school ### WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY - → Examine the reverse of the panel/canvas for early exhibition labels or gallery provenance stamps - → View under UV light to confirm no later retouching exists beneath the current high-gloss varnish layer COLLECTOR GLOSSARY (3 terms) ## CONDITION & GRADE ### Condition The varnish layer appears intact but produces a heavy specular glare under the current institutional lighting. The painting surface shows no visible craquelure, flaking, or stretcher bar marks. The framing is tight with no visible abrasions along the sight edge. ## ART MARKET VALUATION $15,000 - $25,000 Updated: May 10, 2026 How we estimate value ### Who buys this Collectors of contemporary classical realism, specifically focusing on the Dutch and Northern European schools, as well as institutions focusing on late 20th-century observational painting. ### What increases value - • The varied rendering of distinct textures (metal, cardboard, thin paper, wood) which demonstrates the artist's full technical capability - • An early 1980s execution date, placing it in the artist's highly desirable mid-career maturation period - • Clear, fully inscribed 1982 date and signature on the recto ### What lowers value - • The heavy varnish layer may eventually require professional cleaning and re-varnishing if it begins to yellow, a common issue with high-gloss synthetics from the 1980s ### What makes top-tier examples - • Documented inclusion in exhibition catalogs from Museum de Weem or major Dutch galleries - • Complex multi-object compositions rather than single-object studies ### Grade & condition Integrity of the varnish layer, absence of panel warping or canvas slackness, and pristine retention of the deep shadow tones without blanching or bloom. ### Rarity & demand Scarce Moderate demand Moderate liquidity [Browse similar paintings objects](/archive/paintings) For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal. ## FROM THE CABINET OF [![The Collector](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/avatars/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/avatar-1767558257141.jpg) ](/cabinet/the-collector) [ ### The Collector ](/cabinet/the-collector) Relic Hunter • 117 items [View Full Cabinet](/cabinet/the-collector) ### COMMENTS No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts! Sign in to leave a comment [Sign In](/auth) ## SIMILAR CURIOSITIES [ ![Still Life with Cardboard Boxes by Henk Helmantel](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1774701735410.jpg) 7 ### Still Life with Cardboard Boxes by Henk Helmantel ](/archive/paintings/dozenstilleven-box-still-life-by-henk-helmantel)[ ![Chris R. C. Jones (British, b. 1986) - Data-painting, Mixed-media assemblage on panel](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1769339791466.jpg) 6 ### Chris R. C. Jones (British, b. 1986) - Data-painting, Mixed-media assemblage on panel ](/archive/paintings/contemporary-mixed-media-art-installation)[ ![Surrealist Painting by William Vandenjoc](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1769337474388.jpg) 6 ### Surrealist Painting by William Vandenjoc ](/archive/paintings/a-fortunate-return)[ ![Oleanders (Still Life with Oleanders and Books)](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/611d1204-2c2c-4d79-a659-5ab51cce77d1/1-1778003204215.jpg) 10 ### Oleanders (Still Life with Oleanders and Books) ](/archive/paintings/oleanders-les-lauriers-roses-by-vincent-van-gogh)[ ![Original Painting Attributed to Yoshitomo Nara](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/9f669226-a43d-4658-9c71-ae95180ac4d5/1-1778002549353.jpg) 9 ### Original Painting Attributed to Yoshitomo Nara ](/archive/paintings/yoshitomo-nara-cosmic-girl-eyes-closed)[ ![Composition in Blue, Attributed to Kim Whanki](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/18d74b39-7ad0-4e1f-ab45-f7f339e2badf/1-1777990823285.jpg) 9 ### Composition in Blue, Attributed to Kim Whanki ](/archive/paintings/artwork-in-the-manner-of-kim-whanki-mountain-and-moon-motif-dated-1958) [View all paintings](/archive/paintings) ## MORE BY HENK HELMANTEL [ ![Still Life with Cardboard Boxes by Henk Helmantel](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1774701735410.jpg) 7 ### Still Life with Cardboard Boxes by Henk Helmantel ](/archive/paintings/dozenstilleven-box-still-life-by-henk-helmantel)[ !["Stilleven met kruiken, boeken en tabakszakje" by Henk Helmantel](https://smpgbcsonkmwzognzosu.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/curiosity-images/ff5db914-ae15-4a16-b7a7-b61c741ea110/1-1774693989592.jpg) 6 ### "Stilleven met kruiken, boeken en tabakszakje" by Henk Helmantel ](/archive/paintings/stilleven-met-kruiken-boeken-en-tabakszakje) [View all works by Henk Helmantel](/artists/henk-helmantel) ### ABOUT PAINTINGS Oil paintings, watercolors, acrylics, and painted works on canvas, panel, and paper. [Paintings value and rarity guide](/archive/paintings) ## SHARE THIS CURIOSITY XWhatsAppEmailPinterestTelegramDiscordSignalCopy Link Have your own curiosities to discover? [Scan Your Curiosity](/scan) 1. [Home ](/) 2. [Archive](/archive) 3. [Paintings](/archive/paintings) 4. Oil on Board/Canvas Still Life by Henk Helmantel [ C CURIOSA ](/) Uncover value, meaning, and story. [X](https://x.com/Curiosa_app)[Instagram](https://instagram.com/curiosa.app)[TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@curiosa.app) Explore - [How it works](/how-it-works) - [Scan Tips](/scan-tips) - [Archive Gallery](/archive) - [Brands](/brands) - [Artists](/artists) - [Museum](/museum) - [Leaderboard](/leaderboard) - [Rarity Score](/rarity) - [Collector Tiers](/collector-tiers) Use Cases - [Fake Art Detection](/fake-art-detection) - [Provenance Gap Detection](/provenance-gap-detection) - [Period Plausibility Analysis](/period-plausibility-analysis) - [Insurance Readiness](/insurance-readiness) - [Inheritance Evaluation](/inheritance-appraisals) - [City Curiosity Guide](/city-curiosity-guide) - [Art & Collectible Appraisal](/art-appraisal) - [Is It Real?](/is-it-real) - [Install App](/app) Company & Support - [About](/about) - [Pricing](/pricing) - [FAQ](/faq) - [Contact](/contact) - [Feature Request](/feature-request) - [Bug Report](/bug-report) Legal - [Our Privacy Promise](/privacy-promise) - [Privacy Policy](/privacy) - [Terms of Service](/terms) - [Disclaimer](/disclaimer) - [Return policy](/return-policy) Join the Cabinet Get weekly curiosities, collecting tips, and exclusive finds. Subscribe EU Data Protection • GDPR Compliant • No Third-Party Sharing © 2026 Curiosa. All rights reserved.