Artwork
Melons
Melons is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1592 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The depiction serves as a straightforward study of the melon, emphasizing the object itself rather than an extended symbolic program.
The work depicts a still life arrangement of fruit, specifically melons, originating from Japan in 1583. As a representation of natural produce, the subject focuses on the botanical forms of the fruit without additional narrative figures or complex allegorical settings described in the available records. The painting is attributed to the artist Yamada Dōan and is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The depiction serves as a straightforward study of the melon, emphasizing the object itself rather than an extended symbolic program.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Melons, attributed to the artist Yamada Dōan, was created in Japan in 1583. The work depicts fruit and is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While some records list the artist as unknown, other sources specifically identify Yamada Dōan as the creator of this 16th-century piece.
Melons (1583) is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains located. The painting, attributed to Yamada Dōan, was produced in Japan and depicts fruit.
No specific accession number or inventory identifier is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented beyond its presence in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's holdings.
Overview
“Melons” is a painted composition that presents a pair of fruit, a larger melon and a smaller one, set amid leafy vines. The work is executed on a light beige ground that subtly supports the central objects, allowing the forms to stand out without a distracting backdrop.
Technique & Style
Through nuanced shading, the artist creates a convincing sense of volume, using a contrast of light tones on the melons against darker greens of the leaves and vines. This modulation of light and shadow imparts a tactile quality to the fruit’s skin and the foliage’s texture, achieving a modest realism within a restrained palette.
Artist & collection
