Garden Art History - James Peale (1749-1831) Still Lifes

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1795 Detail. James Peale (1739-1741). Artist & His Family. Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia.

In the recent posting on early American orchards, I included one painting by James Peale (1749-1831) of his family with his young son offereing fruit to his sisters. James Peale's fascinating life was reviewed in an earlier blog posting.

Peale painted miniatures, portraits, & historical paintings in his early career. By the turn of the century, he began to explore still lifes & landscapes. Between this period & the end of his life, when he painted the fearsome sublime in landscapes of thunderstorms, violently uprooted trees, & towering mountains, Peale painted exquisite neo-classical still lifes.

James Peale, who straddles both the 18th & 19th century, painted many of the fruits & vegetables grown in American gardens in the early 19th century. Here are a few of my favorites.

James Peale (1749-1831). A Porcelain Bowl with Fruit. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

James Peale (1749-1831). Still Life with An Abundance of Fruit. Reproduction at 1st-art-gallery.com.
James Peale (1749-1831). c 1820 Still Life Balsam Apples and Vegetables. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

James Peale (1749-1831). c 1824 Still Life. Honolulu Academy of Arts.

James Peale (1749-1831). c 1824 Still Life with Chinese Basket. Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Reproduction at Easyart.com.

James Peale (1749-1831). c 1824 Still Life with Chinese Export Basket.
James Peale (1749-1831). c 1824 Still Life with Watermelon.

James Peale (1749-1831). c 1829 Still Life.

James Peale (1749-1831). c 1829 Still Life with Fruit on a Tabletop. Reproduction at Bestpriceart.com.

James Peale (1749-1831). Fruit in a Basket. Reproduction at 1st-art-gallery.com.

James Peale (1749-1831). Fruits of Autumn.

James Peale (1749-1831). Still Life with Apples, Grapes, Pear. Reproduction at Mystudios.com.

James Peale (1749-1831). Still Life with Grapes and Apples on a Plate. Reproduction at Butlerart.com.

James Peale (1749-1831). Vegetable Still Life. Reproduction at 1st-art-gallery.com.
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