Fruit c. 1860

Harriet Cany Peale created this still life of fruit with oil on canvas. Although the subject is natural, the way that Peale has handled the paint has a lot to say about the relationship between the art world and the commercial world at this time. Notice how meticulously the fruits are rendered. The weight, texture, color, and form of each grape, apple, and pear show off the artist’s mastery of her medium. Although paint is just colored paste, here it creates a persuasive illusion. In Peale’s time, the rising middle class enjoyed this kind of painting because it reflected the bounty of nature, tamed and presented as a display of wealth. Remember, though, that these luscious surfaces were only possible because of the skilled labor involved in grinding pigments and stretching the canvas, all of which are easy to overlook. Paying attention to the making of art lets us appreciate both its beauty, and the social context of its creation.