Artwork
Still Life with Plate of Apricots and Morello Cherries
Still Life with Plate of Apricots and Morello Cherries is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Luis Egidio Meléndez. It dates from 1773 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Technique & Style
Created in 1773, Still Life with Plate of Apricots and Morello Cherries is an oil painting executed on canvas by Luis Egidio Meléndez.
Created in 1773, Still Life with Plate of Apricots and Morello Cherries is an oil painting executed on canvas by Luis Egidio Meléndez. The work measures 41 cm in height and 62 cm in width, adhering to the standard format for the artist's still life studies. As a member of the still life genre, the piece focuses on the formal arrangement of fruit, specifically apricots and cherries, alongside a fountain depicted within the composition.
The medium of oil paint allows for the detailed rendering of textures and light characteristic of Meléndez's style during this period.
History & Provenance
The work was painted in 1773 by Luis Egidio Meléndez, as indicated by the artist’s inscription on the canvas.
By 1773 it had entered the Spanish royal collection, where it was held by Ferdinand VII of Spain. The painting later passed into the holdings of the Museo del Prado, where it remains in the collection at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.
Still Life with Plate of Apricots and Morello Cherries is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. The painting, created in 1773, has been associated with the Royal Palace of Aranjuez as a specific location within the museum's holdings. Historical records indicate the work was once owned by Ferdinand VII of Spain.
The provided sources do not contain information regarding a specific inventory or accession number for the artwork, nor do they list any exhibitions in which the piece has been displayed.
Overview
Luis Egidio Meléndez’s 1773 oil painting presents a modest tabletop arrangement: a white, shallow dish brimming with ripe apricots and dark‑red Morello cherries, accompanied by a few green stems and leaves. The composition rests on a dark‑toned wooden surface, the background receding into shadow, creating a quiet, focused scene that highlights the fruit’s natural colors and textures.
Subject & Meaning
The work concentrates on everyday nourishment, offering a straightforward yet careful study of seasonal produce. By placing the fruit in a relaxed, almost spontaneous cluster, Meléndez suggests the immediacy of a harvest just gathered, while the subdued setting invites contemplation of the material world’s quiet beauty without overt symbolic narrative.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Luis Egidio Meléndez (1716–1780) was a Spanish painter. Though he received little acclaim during his lifetime and died in poverty, Meléndez is recognized as one of the greatest Spanish still-life painters of the 18th…
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