Artwork
Still Life: Peaches and Grapes
Still Life: Peaches and Grapes is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist John A. Woodside. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Peaches and grapes, painted in oil on wood by John A. Woodside in 1825 and arranged with quiet care. He gives everyday fruit a plain, balanced setting, the pieces placed to settle against one another.
Subject & Meaning
Woodside's 1825 painting Still Life: Peaches and Grapes is a traditional still life that focuses on the depiction of its titular elements: peaches and grapes.
John A. Woodside's 1825 painting Still Life: Peaches and Grapes is a traditional still life that focuses on the depiction of its titular elements: peaches and grapes. As a work within the still life genre, the composition centers entirely on these natural subjects, highlighting their forms and textures. While the sources identify the specific fruit represented, they do not elaborate on any deeper iconographic programs or symbolic meanings.
However, within the broader context of early nineteenth-century American still life painting, such meticulously rendered fruits often carried connotations of abundance, the transience of life, and the bounty of nature, even if the present sources only explicitly confirm the literal subject matter of peaches and grapes arranged for observation.
Technique & Style
The work titled Still Life: Peaches and Grapes is an oil painting executed on a wooden panel, a support frequently employed in early‑19th‑century American art. The composition presents ripe peaches alongside grapes, rendered with careful attention to texture and tonal modeling typical of the period. Measuring approximately 24.8 cm by 31.1 cm, the piece dates to 1825 and is classified within The American Wing’s still‑life genre at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Its formal qualities include a balanced arrangement of fruit, a restrained palette, and subtle gradations of light that emphasize three‑dimensionality on the planar surface.
History & Provenance
Created in 1825, Still Life: Peaches and Grapes is an oil painting executed on a wood panel by the American artist John A. Woodside. The work measures approximately 24.8 by 31.1 centimeters. While specific details regarding its original commission or early ownership history are not provided in the available records, the painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
There, it is classified within the institution's American Wing as a still life genre piece, depicting arrangements of grapes and peaches. The date of inception is firmly established as 1825, marking its production in the early nineteenth century.
Overview
"Still Life: Peaches and Grapes" is an oil painting rendered on a wood panel. This artwork presents a modest arrangement of common fruits, specifically peaches and grapes. The composition emphasizes a quiet simplicity, with the elements carefully positioned to achieve a sense of visual harmony and balance, characteristic of the still life genre.
Context
Housed within The American Wing, this still life exemplifies a genre that gained prominence in American art. Such works often provided artists with an opportunity to explore form, light, and texture through the depiction of domestic objects and natural produce. This piece contributes to the tradition of American artists engaging with the quiet observation of everyday life.
Artist & collection
