Twin Peaks Set Decoration – “Still Life with Flowers and Fruit” by Henk Bos in Palmer’s Dining Room

Some of my favorite things to identify are framed artwork found in iconic scenes and sets from Mark Frost and David Lynch’s wonderful and strange world. Examples of these pieces include “Return from the Hunt” at The Roadhouse, “Sea Foam” at the Double R Diner or the floral still life in Laura Palmer’s bedroom. I’m happy to add another image to this ever growing list – a still life by Dutch artist Hendrick “Henk” Bos found in the Palmer’s dining room during Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.

“STILL LIFE WITH FLOWERS AND FRUIT” BY HENK BOS

In the dining room of the Palmer house hangs several frames with artwork of flowers. The one located behind Laura Palmer along the room’s eastern wall was created by Dutch American painter Hendrick “Henk” Bos. It’s one of many piece Bos created in the middle of the 20th Century.

This piece is supposedly titled, “Still Life with Flowers and Fruit.” Based on my extensive research, it was created at some point around 1961 (or possibly as early as 1959). Bos painted several similar still life paintings with fruit and flowers.

WHO IS HENDRICK “HENK” BOS?

Hendrick “Henk” Bos was a Dutch American painter born on April 2, 1901 in the small town of Huizen in the North province of Holland. Bos was the son of a cobbler who enjoyed emulating the works of the Old Masters. By age 11, he was apprenticed to a plasterer’s assistant to make family ends meet. It would take 35 years until Henk began painting in a more traditional style of distant eras. Despite not having any formal art training, his paintings were so well-respected that he earned the title of the new “Rembrandt from Holland.”

By the 1960s, reproductions of Bos’ paintings were being sold by companies like Tru-Art Reproductions or the Donald Art Company. Full-page advertisements were run in newspapers across the United States offering his works for incredibly low costs. You can see his still life from Lynch’s 1992 film in this advertisement in The Pittsburgh Post Gazette on June 28, 1965.

Bos would continue painting into the 1970s. He died in the town of his birth on November 18, 1979.

APPEARANCES IN TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME AND TWIN PEAKS: THE MISSING PIECES

Henk Bos’ “Still Life” has a handful of on-screen appearances in the theatrical release of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. There are even more appearances when the deleted and extended scenes, known as Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces, were released on Blu-ray in July 2014.

One of the first appearances in Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces is found when Laura Palmer returns home to Sarah Palmer waiting in the dining room.

It appears again in The Missing Pieces when a hungry Leland Palmer enters the dining room, eager to teach Sarah and Laura how to speak Norwegian.

The first appearance in the theatrical release happens during the “wash your hands” scene in the dining room. Leland Palmer is seen seated at the table, waiting for Laura’s return.

A sliver of the framed artwork is seen during a close-up of Laura sitting at the table.

As Leland checks Laura’s hands, Bos’ artwork hangs silently behind the father and daughter.

Leland then proceeds to yell at Laura to wash her hands before having dining. This is the shot that made me want to identify the painting.

Another deleted scene shows Laura and Sarah enjoying breakfast just before Leland reminds them that it’s Johnny Horne’s birthday.

After a terrible revelation, the artwork is seen as Laura Palmer pushes around her Raisin’ Bran cereal without the raisins during breakfast.

The image is seen one final time in Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces as Laura is seen barely eating her asparagus for dinner.

Most likely, Bos’ image was a reproduction that was placed in a slightly ornate frame. I’m just happy to have another painting identified for the Prop and Set Decoration page.