Within Henk's oeuvre, small niches can be found containing unusual works. His works with shells are one such niche. Difficult to see from the photograph, but the shells are painted with great sharpness and the lighting creates such clarity that the work immediately stands out. Reason enough for Willem L. Meijer to include this still life in his book 'Still Lifes and Church Interiors by Henk Helmantel' (1978).