An Abundance of Fruit
Severin Roesen
c. 1860
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
63.5 × 76.2 cm (25 × 30 in.)
Classification
oil on canvas
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
182381
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This painting by Severin Roesen, who immigrated to the United States from Cologne in 1848, features a profusion of berries, grapes, peaches, figs, and other fruits piled upon a marble slab. His composition is a celebratory display of nature’s bounty— portrayed in such minute detail as to feel artificial. Roesen worked in Pennsylvania, supported by German immigrants who operated local breweries there. While still lifes in the 19th century typically adorned domestic dining rooms, Roesen’s paintin...