Artwork
Still life with fruits
Still life with fruits is a paint painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Unknown. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin. The work presents a densely arranged still life centered on a large basket brimming with assorted fruit.
About this work
Overview
The work presents a densely arranged still life centered on a large basket brimming with assorted fruit. Lemons, grapes, and pomegranates dominate the composition, spilling onto a dark‑hued tablecloth. Adjacent to the basket, a modest plate holds figs, while a decorative metal stand supports additional fruit. The backdrop consists of an unadorned wall, emphasizing the objects themselves.
Subject & Meaning
The painting foregrounds a variety of cultivated fruits, suggesting themes of abundance and the sensory richness of the harvest. The inclusion of both common (lemons, grapes) and exotic (pomegranates, figs) items may allude to trade, prosperity, or the fleeting nature of material plenty, inviting contemplation of bounty and its transience.
Technique & Style
Rendered in paint, the piece exhibits meticulous attention to surface texture and light. Fine brushwork captures the wrinkled skins of lemons, the translucency of grape skins, and the intricate seeds within a pomegranate. Subtle shading creates depth, while the contrast between the dark tablecloth and the luminous fruit enhances the tactile realism of the scene.
History & Provenance
No specific dates, artist, or ownership record accompany the painting, limiting its documented provenance. Its straightforward composition and detailed execution align it with the broader European still‑life tradition, yet without further archival evidence the work’s origin and subsequent collection history remain uncertain.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
