the most artful dessert

What would a life be without fruits? They sweeten us and vitaminan, but they are also a short-lived and tasty decor. his beauty has been portrayed throughout history by painters who have seen in the pulp of the watermelon, in the curl of the shell of a lemon, in the transparency of some sour cherries, an abundant source of inspiration.

Still life is the genre of painting who usually make everyday objects such as fruits. Sometimes they appear accompanied by plates, glasses, forks, knives and other objects to taste them, and even by animals, people or others foods. Sometimes a few drops of Water they sparkle on the skin of the fruit. In others, a Moscow perches on it, looking for food.

The attention paid to these delightful works of nature by artists such as Clara Peeters, Julia Alcayde, Juan Van der Hamen, Thomas Yepes, Juan Arellano and many others, has served to express, for example, the pass of the time: a grape pass in a voluptuous cluster reminds us that everything has its end and that even among the best-looking fruit there is a natural imperfection.

Also, still lifes are a good test for rebuild the diets of past, as well as to know what the old varieties of vegetables from centuries ago, of which, obviously, we do not have any photographs that allow us to appreciate their details.

The genre has also been a refuge for many artists: when considering a topic less (despite the fact that most of those considered to be great artists also practiced it) the still life it was not forbidden ground for women that they wanted to paint and be recognized as artists thus. A good example of this is the aforementioned Clara Peeters, that stood out at the beginning of the seventeenth century with still lifes that shone with their own light.

Next, we present a gallery of still lifes that are part of the collection of The Prado Museum and that they are living proof that the gastronomy it lives beyond the borders of a kitchen or a restaurant.

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