Artwork
Still Life with Monkey, Fruits, and Flowers
Still Life with Monkey, Fruits, and Flowers is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Jean-Baptiste Oudry. It dates from 1724 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Jean-Baptiste Oudry’s oil on canvas presents a still‑life composition centered on a bowl of fruit and flowers, from which a small monkey is reaching to seize a cluster of grapes. The work combines the artist’s reputation for animal portraiture with his skill in rendering sumptuous botanical subjects, creating a lively tableau typical of mid‑18th‑century French decorative painting.
Subject & Meaning
The inclusion of the monkey reflects contemporary symbolism that linked the creature with playful mischief and sensual desire. By having the animal grasp the grapes, Oudry injects a narrative element into the otherwise static arrangement, suggesting a moment of indulgence and the fleeting nature of pleasure.
Technique & Style
Executed with the delicate glazing typical of Rococo still lifes, the painting displays a luminous surface where fruit skins and flower petals appear soft and overripe. Oudry’s handling of light emphasizes the tactile quality of the objects, while the careful modeling of the monkey’s fur demonstrates his animal‑painting expertise.
History & Provenance
The piece was likely produced under the patronage of Louis XV, who regularly commissioned Oudry for works that would adorn his residences. Such paintings were commonly placed in dining rooms, forming part of an integrated decorative scheme that blended visual pleasure with the act of eating.
Context
Oudry’s composition draws on the visual vocabulary of 17th‑century Flemish still lifes, a tradition he studied extensively. The lushness of the fruit and the sensuous arrangement echo the Flemish emphasis on abundance, while the Rococo taste for elegance and lightness moderates the overall effect.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Baptiste Oudry was a French Rococo painter, engraver, and tapestry designer. He is particularly well known for his naturalistic pictures of animals and his hunt pieces depicting game. His son, Jacques-Charles Oudry, was also a painter.
