Artwork
Still Life with Ham
Still Life with Ham is an oil painting by the Realist artist Philippe Rousseau. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a still life arrangement centered on a succulent ham placed upon a fully set table, representing a celebration of material abundance and domestic luxury characteristic of Philippe Rousseau's work. Beyond the food items, the composition includes specific contemporary artifacts that ground the scene in its historical moment: a copy of the prominent French newspaper Le Figaro, which is addressed to the artist's own residence. This inclusion of the newspaper serves as a deliberate iconographic element, anchoring the artwork to the early 1870s and blurring the line between the depicted scene and the artist's immediate reality.
The subject matter thus functions not merely as a display of culinary wealth but as a sophisticated statement on the artist's engagement with modern life and his personal identity within the French cultural sphere of 1870.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1870, this still life by Philippe Rousseau utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support measuring 73 by 92.
Executed in 1870, this still life by Philippe Rousseau utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support measuring 73 by 92.1 centimeters. The work is characterized by intricate and intimate detailing, a stylistic approach that renders the depicted food items, particularly a succulent ham, with high realism. Rousseau's handling of the medium extends to the precise inclusion of contemporary ephemera, specifically an issue of the newspaper Le Figaro addressed to his own residence, which sits upon a fully set table.
This meticulous attention to texture and specific objects anchors the painting firmly in the early 1870s, showcasing the artist's capacity for lifelike representation within the genre.
History & Provenance
Philippe Rousseau painted Still Life with Ham in 1870, an oil on canvas work measuring roughly 73 × 92 cm, as documented in the painting’s catalog entry and corroborated by museum records. The composition features a ham, tableware, and a folded newspaper, reflecting the artist’s interest in contemporary domestic scenes. After its creation, the work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view, establishing a clear ownership chain from the artist’s studio to the museum’s holdings.
The dating is anchored to the 1870s, aligning with the style and subject matter typical of Rousseau’s oeuvre.
Overview
This painting, Still Life with Ham, was created by the French artist Philippe Rousseau during the 1870s. Executed in oil on canvas, the work presents a carefully arranged collection of domestic objects. It exemplifies the still life genre, showcasing Rousseau's attention to detail and texture in depicting everyday items. The painting is presently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Philippe Francois Rousseau (23 February 1816, Paris – 5 December 1887, Acquigny) was a French painter known primarily for his still life paintings.
