Artwork
Strawberries and Cream
Strawberries and Cream is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Raphaelle Peale. It dates from 1816 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right: Raphaelle Peale 1816
About this work
Technique & Style
The composition is a still-life arrangement featuring strawberries, cream, a flower, a jug, a plate, and a table set on a tabletop.
The painting is executed in oil on a wood panel. Its dimensions are approximately 33.34 by 49.53 centimetres. The composition is a still-life arrangement featuring strawberries, cream, a flower, a jug, a plate, and a table set on a tabletop.
The medium and support are typical of early American still-life painting, and the subject matter reflects a formal interest in everyday domestic objects rendered with careful observation.
History & Provenance
Dated to 1816, Strawberries and Cream was painted by Raphaelle Peale in oil on wood panel. Its early history is undocumented, but the known provenance begins with Paul Mellon (1907–1999) of Upperville, Virginia. Upon his death in 1999, the painting was bequeathed to the National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.) with a life interest granted to his wife, Rachel Lambert Mellon (1910–2014). No record of a commission survives, and the work's creation circumstances remain unrecorded beyond its 1816 dating.
Overview
This painting, titled Strawberries and Cream, is an oil on wood still life. It depicts a modest arrangement of common items, including strawberries, a plate, and a jug, all positioned on a table surface. The composition presents these elements with an unassuming simplicity, characteristic of the genre.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork focuses on the beauty found in ordinary domestic objects. The artist carefully composed the strawberries, plate, and jug to convey a sense of natural ease rather than a formal setup. This approach emphasizes the inherent charm of everyday life and simple pleasures, inviting viewers to appreciate the familiar.
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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.
