Artwork
Basket of Fruit with Parrot
Basket of Fruit with Parrot is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist A.M. Randall. It dates from 1777 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1777, this oil on canvas by A.
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- Inscribed:lower center: A.M. RANDALL / 1777
About this work
Technique & Style
As a still life from the late eighteenth century, it belongs to a period when American painters were adapting European still-life conventions.
Basket of Fruit with Parrot is an oil painting on canvas executed in 1777 by A.M. Randall. The work measures 43.4 by 50.8 cm. As a still life from the late eighteenth century, it belongs to a period when American painters were adapting European still-life conventions. The medium of oil on canvas allowed for the detailed rendering of textures, the glossy skins of fruit, the woven surface of the basket, and the iridescent plumage of the parrot, that characterize the composition. The relatively modest dimensions suggest an intimate, carefully observed presentation rather than a grand display piece.
History & Provenance
A.M. Randall painted Basket of Fruit with Parrot in 1777. The work was recorded as coming from Pennsylvania, where it was handled by Robert Carlen of Philadelphia. In 1950, Carlen sold the painting to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. The couple later bequeathed the work to the National Gallery of Art in 1980.
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. It entered the collection in 1980 as part of the bequest of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch and is recorded under accession number 1980.2.17.
It was previously with Robert Carlen, Philadelphia, from whom it was purchased in 1950 by the Garbisches.
Legacy
Basket of Fruit with Parrot by A.M. Randall, painted in 1777, entered the National Gallery of Art through a bequest from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch in 1980. The work, originally recorded as having Pennsylvania provenance, is catalogued in the National Gallery of Art's collection and remains on public view in Washington, D.C., shaping scholarly discussions of early American portraiture and botanical painting.
The painting's composition of a wicker basket laden with ripe fruit beside a vibrant parrot has informed studies of naturalistic detail and color harmony in 18th‑century American art, influencing later artists who explored similar still‑life subjects.
Overview
Created in 1777, this oil on canvas by A.M. Randall presents a still‑life scene in which a vividly coloured parrot occupies the central position beside a modestly arranged basket of fruit. The work balances the bright plumage of the bird with the more muted tones of the surrounding produce, drawing the eye to the avian figure while maintaining a cohesive composition.
Subject & Meaning
The painting juxtaposes the exotic allure of the parrot with everyday fruit, suggesting a dialogue between the rare and the familiar. By placing the bird at the forefront, Randall emphasizes its visual impact, perhaps alluding to the fascination with exotic species that characterized the late‑eighteenth‑century European taste for natural curiosities.
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