Artwork
Still Life—Strawberries, Nuts, &c.
Still Life—Strawberries, Nuts, &c. is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Raphaelle Peale. It dates from 1822 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Raphaelle Peale’s oil painting on wood presents a carefully composed still life of strawberries, walnuts and a silver spoon arranged on a white plate atop a dark wooden surface. The work exemplifies early American still‑life painting, displaying a high level of detail in texture and surface treatment that anticipates later developments in the genre.
Subject & Meaning
The composition brings together fresh strawberries, shelled walnuts and a gleaming spoon, objects that highlight both natural abundance and domestic luxury.
The composition brings together fresh strawberries, shelled walnuts and a gleaming spoon, objects that highlight both natural abundance and domestic luxury. The inclusion of imported Chinese porcelain, a common export to the United States, signals the growing wealth of the young nation, while the strawberries—likely cultivated in greenhouse conditions—suggest experimental agricultural practices on the Peale family farm.
Technique & Style
Peale employs fine, controlled brushwork to render the delicate fuzz of the berries and the reflective quality of the metal spoon. The handling of light and shadow reflects the influence of 17th‑century Dutch still‑life painters, using chiaroscuro to model forms and give the objects a tangible presence against the dark tabletop.
History & Provenance
Born into a prominent Maryland‑Pennsylvania artistic family, Raphaelle Peale was among the first American artists to devote his practice to still life. The painting was created in the early 19th century, likely within the family’s Philadelphia workshop, and has remained in the United States, passing through private collections before entering a museum holding.
Context
The work emerges at a time when American artists were looking to European models while also asserting a distinct national identity. The presence of Chinese porcelain, produced for the American market, and the experimental greenhouse strawberries reflect the intersection of global trade and domestic innovation characteristic of the early Republic.
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