Artwork
Still Life with Apples, Sherry, and Tea Cake
Still Life with Apples, Sherry, and Tea Cake is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Raphaelle Peale. It dates from 1822 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right: Raphaelle Peale Jany. 1822
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The apple evokes biblical fertility and the promise of harvest, while the glassware suggests conviviality and the fleeting nature of convivial enjoyment.
In this 1822 oil on wood panel, Raphaelle Peale arranges a modest still life that combines a ripe apple, a glass vessel of sherry, and a tea cake, items traditionally associated with domestic abundance and transitory pleasure. The apple evokes biblical fertility and the promise of harvest, while the glassware suggests conviviality and the fleeting nature of convivial enjoyment. Together they convey a contemplative commentary on material comfort and the passage of time, reflecting early American interests in both aesthetic refinement and moral reflection within everyday domestic scenes.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1822, Still Life with Apples, Sherry, and Tea Cake is painted in oil on a wooden panel support. The handling is characterized by a precise, almost miniaturist finish, typical of Raphaelle Peale’s still-life practice, with careful modeling of form and subtle gradations of tone to render the textures of glass, fruit, and fabric. The composition is arranged with studied balance, employing a shallow, planar space that emphasizes clarity and detail.
The palette is subdued, anchored by warm browns and muted greens, punctuated by the reflective sheen of the glassware and the luminous skin of the apples. No significant condition issues are recorded in the provenance, and the work remains in its original presentation state.
History & Provenance
Still Life with Apples, Sherry, and Tea Cake was painted by Raphaelle Peale in 1822. The work entered the collection of Paul Mellon, who bequeathed it to the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, D.C., in 1999. Mellon’s wife, Rachel Lambert Mellon, held a life interest in the painting until her death in 2014, after which it became part of the NGA’s permanent holdings. The painting has remained in the NGA’s collection since that time.
Raphaelle Peale's Still Life with Apples, Sherry, and Tea Cake (1822) is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The work entered the museum's holdings in 1999 through the bequest of Paul Mellon, who had retained the painting at his Upperville, Virginia estate until his death. The transfer included a life interest for his wife, Rachel Lambert Mellon. While the specific accession number is not detailed in the provided records, the painting is cataloged within the National Gallery's permanent collection.
The sources do not list any specific exhibition history or past display locations for this particular work prior to its arrival at the gallery.
Overview
"Still Life with Apples, Sherry, and Tea Cake" is an oil painting rendered on a wooden panel. The composition features a modest arrangement of everyday items: several apples, a glass containing sherry, and a slice of tea cake, all placed on a table. The artwork is characterized by its quiet depiction of domestic life, inviting close observation of its carefully rendered elements.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Raphaelle Peale (sometimes spelled Raphael Peale; February 17, 1774 – March 4, 1825) is considered the first professional American painter of still-life.
