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A Pomegranate, Siena by Hall, George Henry

Hall, George Henry · 1885

This is *A Pomegranate, Siena* by George Henry Hall, painted in 1885 and held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hall, an American artist trained in Europe, was incredibly prolific, selling over 1,600 works in his lifetime, many of them still lifes like this one.

Notice the incredibly realistic rendering of the halved fruit. Hall captures the translucent, jewel-like quality of the seeds and the soft, yielding texture of the white pith.

*A Pomegranate, Siena* exemplifies the Realist movement's focus on ordinary subjects rendered with meticulous detail and skillful technique. Hall's use of oil paint here creates a palpable sense of materiality and form.

The way Hall renders light on each individual seed is a testament to his mastery of the medium.

Details

Look at the glistening seeds spill out.
Look at the glistening seeds spill out.
The pith appears soft, almost wet.
The pith appears soft, almost wet.
The vibrant red seeds and creamy white pith create a striking contrast, inviting a closer look at the fruit's texture and ripeness.
The vibrant red seeds and creamy white pith create a striking contrast, inviting a closer look at the fruit's texture and ripeness.
Transcript

He painted a single pomegranate. Look at the glistening seeds spill out. Each seed catches the light just so. This light reflection is pure oil paint. The pith appears soft, almost wet. He sold 1,659 paintings in his life.