"Still Life with Fruit" (1865) by John Francis Isn't it true that everyone enjoys being "in" on something? It gives one that special feeling of, well, feeling special. Perhaps that is why paintings with symbolism in them are so exciting. Even if the explanation of the symbolism is displayed on the placard right next to a painting one still gets that feeling of "yes, I know something that everyone else who looked at this painting doesn't!"
It is pretty exciting to find this symbolism then in what can be a dry, traditional art like still life. In "Still Life with Fruit" (1865) American John Francis shows what appears to be a lavish arrangement of peaches, grapes and watermelon. However, displayed next to the piece in the Memorial Art Gallery are these insightful words:
"...a second look finds half-eaten fruit pierced by a knife, bruised peaches, and a hungry hornet, images that suggest overripeness and decay...(images that warn of) the ephemeral nature of life."
It is pretty exciting to find this symbolism then in what can be a dry, traditional art like still life. In "Still Life with Fruit" (1865) American John Francis shows what appears to be a lavish arrangement of peaches, grapes and watermelon. However, displayed next to the piece in the Memorial Art Gallery are these insightful words:
"...a second look finds half-eaten fruit pierced by a knife, bruised peaches, and a hungry hornet, images that suggest overripeness and decay...(images that warn of) the ephemeral nature of life."
"Isabella" (1849, detail) by John Everett Millais The most common fruit in art would of course be the apple, bringing up thoughts of the Garden of Eden and original sin. Less common would be the blood orange:
In "Isabella" (1849), English master John Everett Millais has intentionally flattened the background figures to draw attention to the characters in front. (Click for full painting) On the right are Lorenzo and Isabella, from the John Keats poem "Isabella, or the Pot of Basil". In the poem of forbidden love Lorenzo is murdered by his employers, Isabella's brothers (seen on the left of the painting), in order not to ruin an arranged marriage to a man of wealth. Not wanting to part with her dear Lorenzo, Isabella exhumes his body, removes his head, and stores it in a pot of basil.
Brilliantly, Millais has foreshadowed this decapitation by having Lorenzo present his love with a cut blood orange, beautifully and disturbingly symbolic of a cut neck.
In "Isabella" (1849), English master John Everett Millais has intentionally flattened the background figures to draw attention to the characters in front. (Click for full painting) On the right are Lorenzo and Isabella, from the John Keats poem "Isabella, or the Pot of Basil". In the poem of forbidden love Lorenzo is murdered by his employers, Isabella's brothers (seen on the left of the painting), in order not to ruin an arranged marriage to a man of wealth. Not wanting to part with her dear Lorenzo, Isabella exhumes his body, removes his head, and stores it in a pot of basil.
Brilliantly, Millais has foreshadowed this decapitation by having Lorenzo present his love with a cut blood orange, beautifully and disturbingly symbolic of a cut neck.
