Artwork
A Pomegranate, Siena
A Pomegranate, Siena is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist George Henry Hall. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1885, *A Pomegranate, Siena* is an oil painting on canvas that presents a single fruit rendered with meticulous realism. The composition centers on a halved pomegranate set upon a darkened tabletop, its interior seeds spilling outward. The contrast between the deep background and the vivid red of the fruit draws immediate visual focus to the subject.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts a freshly cut pomegranate, its glossy seeds exposed and some scattered across the surface. By choosing an everyday object and emphasizing its tactile qualities, the painting aligns with a realist interest in ordinary, tangible subjects, inviting contemplation of the fruit’s natural beauty and fleeting moment of dissection.
Technique & Style
Hall employs a precise, realist approach, using fine brushwork to capture the sheen of the seeds and the texture of the rind. The dark tonal backdrop serves to heighten the saturation of the red interior, while subtle chiaroscuro models the fruit’s three‑dimensional form, conveying a sense of immediacy and materiality.
History & Provenance
American painter George Henry Hall, trained in Düsseldorf and Paris, produced the piece during a period of frequent travel between New York, the Catskills, and Europe. *A Pomegranate, Siena* is among the 1,659 works Hall sold in his lifetime, reflecting his prolific output and the market demand for his still‑life compositions.
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Artist & collection
Artist
George Henry Hall (1825–1913) was an American still-life and landscape artist. He studied art in Düsseldorf and Paris and he worked and lived in New York City, the Catskills of New York and in Europe. His works are in…
