Pruimen c. 1815 - 1821

Albertus Jonas Brandt painted these watercolor plums sometime before his death in 1821. Brandt, who worked during the Dutch Patriottentijd and the French period, lived during a time when the Netherlands experienced significant political and social upheaval. These plums are painted with a scientific precision which speaks to the Enlightenment interest in taxonomy, an attempt to classify and organize the natural world according to observable systems. Brandt's decision to paint plums, a common and accessible fruit, suggests a connection to the burgeoning middle class and their increasing interest in the natural world. The halved plum offers us an intimate view of the fruit's interior, its fleshy pulp evoking a sense of vulnerability and exposure. Consider how the piece invites us to contemplate the intersection of science, society, and the intimate details of everyday life.