Artwork
Fruit with Blue-footed Bowl
Fruit with Blue-footed Bowl is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Charles S. Raleigh. It dates from 1897 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The use of oil paint as the medium is consistent with the artist's practice for this 1893 composition.
Fruit with Blue-footed Bowl is an oil painting executed on canvas, with the support measuring 60.3 cm in height and 40.8 cm in width. The work is classified as a still life genre painting, depicting an arrangement of fruit including apple, grape, pineapple, and banana alongside a blue-footed bowl. The use of oil paint as the medium is consistent with the artist's practice for this 1893 composition.
The relatively modest dimensions and vertical orientation of the canvas suit the intimate scale typical of Raleigh's still life subject matter, allowing for close observation of the varied textures and forms of the fruit and vessel.
History & Provenance
Fruit with Blue-footed Bowl is an oil-on-canvas painting executed by American artist Charles S. Raleigh in 1893, as documented in contemporary records and confirmed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s catalogue. The work, measuring 60.3 × 40.8 cm, depicts a still‑life composition that includes an apple, grapes, pineapple and banana arranged on a blue‑footed bowl. It entered the museum’s collection shortly after its creation and has remained in the institution’s permanent holdings, with no documented change of ownership.
The painting is classified within the still‑life genre and is recorded in the museum’s collection database as a work of 1893.
Charles S. Raleigh's 1893 oil painting, Fruit with Blue-footed Bowl, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, classified as a still life depicting fruit such as apples, grapes, pineapples, and bananas, measures 60.3 cm in height and 40.8 cm in width. While the museum currently houses the piece, the provided sources do not specify a unique inventory or accession number for this entry.
Furthermore, the available documentation offers no record of the painting's exhibition history, listing only its creation date, medium, and current location within the museum's holdings.
Overview
The oil painting titled Fruit with Blue-footed Bowl presents a traditional still life composition. It features a diverse assortment of fruits, including apples, grapes, a pineapple, bananas, and a pear, meticulously arranged within a tall, blue, scalloped vase. This central arrangement rests on a pedestal, with a plain background ensuring the vivid hues of the subject remain the primary focus. The work exemplifies a common genre in art history.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork centers on a carefully composed display of natural abundance. A tall, blue vase, distinguished by its scalloped rim, serves as the container for a rich selection of produce. Bright red apples, green grapes, a pineapple, ripe bananas, and a solitary pear are depicted, suggesting a harvest or a curated collection. The pedestal elevates this arrangement, drawing the viewer's attention to the vibrant bounty and its detailed presentation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles S. Raleigh painted quiet, still-life arrangements in oil during the late 1800s. Two of his works here are Emblem of Sargis Lodge and Fruit with Blue-footed Bowl, painted in 1893. His brush lingers on everyday…
