Apple
Unknown Artist
ca. 1750–75
Medium
Tin-glazed earthenware
Dimensions
Overall (approximate): 2 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (6.4 × 8.9 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Pottery
Culture
Dutch, Delft
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1894
Accession Number
94.4.42
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection, this charming "Apple" (ca. 1750–75) is a delightful example of Dutch Delft tin-glazed earthenware. just 2½ × 3½ inches, this petite ceramic fruit captures the lifelike plumpness and subtle contours of a real apple, showcasing the potters' mastery in modeling everyday objects into whimsical decorative pieces. Gifted to the Museum by Henry G. Marquand in 1894, it exemplifies the playful trompe l'oeil style popular in 18th-century Europe. Delftware, produced in the city of Delft, Netherlands, flourishe...