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Still Life with Fruit
186525 3/16 x 30 3/8 in. (64 x 77.2 cm)
John Francis
United States (Philadelphia, PA, 1808 - 1886, Jefferson, PA)
Object Type:
Painting
Medium and Support:
Oil on canvas
Credit Line:
Marion Stratton Gould Fund
Accession Number:
1971.7
Location: Currently on view
At first glance, it is tempting to interpret this painting as a celebration of mid-century American bounty. However, a second look finds half-eaten fruit pierced by a knife, bruised peaches, and a hungry hornet, images that suggest overripeness and decay. These elements can be traced back to 16th and 17th century Dutch still life traditions, particularly vanitas paintings that warned of the ephemeral nature of life.
Whether or not John Francis – originally an itinerant, self-taught portrait painter – was consciously invoking old master painting traditions, his involvement with the artistic community in Philadelphia would have exposed him to sophisticated subjects and tastes that, perhaps, he incorporated into his work.
[Gallery label text, 2009]
Whether or not John Francis – originally an itinerant, self-taught portrait painter – was consciously invoking old master painting traditions, his involvement with the artistic community in Philadelphia would have exposed him to sophisticated subjects and tastes that, perhaps, he incorporated into his work.
[Gallery label text, 2009]
Marks
Artist's signature, lower right: J. F. Francis Dec. --[illegible] 1865
Provenance
Hall's Antiques, Buffalo, NY; purchased by the Gallery in 1971
Keywords
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Additional Images
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Exhibition List
This object was included in the following exhibitions:
- Recent Acquisitions & Memorial Bequests 1/8/1975 - 2/23/1975
- The Fine Art of Painting Conservation 4/13/1982 - 5/13/1982
- A Suitable Likeness: The Paintings of John F. Francis, 1832-1879 The Packwood House Museum 6/28/1986 - 11/2/1986
- Silent Things, Secret Things: Still Life from Rembrandt to the Millennium 9/19/1999 - 1/2/2000
Bibliography
This object has the following bibliographic references:
- Article Scope: Reproduction only. Susan Dodge Peters, ed. Memorial Art Gallery: An Introduction to the Collection. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery in association with Hudson Hills Press, 1988.
- Article Title: Spotlight Series. Article Scope: Article and reproduction. Memorial Art Gallery. Gallery Notes. Rochester, NY: Memorial Art Gallery, 1935-1995. Volume Number: 39, Issue Number: 2. Issue Date: October 1973.
- Selma Holo and Bernard Barryte. Silent Things, Secret Things: Still Life from Rembrandt to the Millennium. Albuquerque, NM: The Albuquerque Museum, 1999.
- Article Scope: Entry. David W. Dunn. A Suitable Likeness: The Paintings of John F. Francis, 1832-1879. Lewisburg, PA: The Packwood House Museum, 1986.
- Currents. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester
- The New York-Pennsylvania Collector. Pittsford, NY: Wolfe Publications
Portfolio List
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This object is a member of the following portfolios: