Boy with Fruit Basket
1600
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1600
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This print shows a chubby, naked boy sitting on a rock. He’s holding a heavy basket of grapes and leaves on his head while reaching up to grab more. A bird perches nearby, and a small dog sniffs the ground. The background has a tree and some plants, but everything looks scratched-in, like it was drawn with a sharp tool. The boy’s plump body and the way he struggles with the basket might mean this isn’t just a kid—it could stand for something bigger, like patience or harvest. The dark lines and light shading give it a rough, textured look. If you like this, check out *sfumato* for another way artists play with light and shadow.
