Still Life with Apples, Sherry, and Tea Cake

1822

Raphaelle Peale

Associated Names
Raphaelle Peale

Artist, American, 1774 - 1825

This painting is a still life featuring several objects arranged in a line. On the far left is a red apple with its stem toward us. Next to it is a transparent glass goblet with a hint of golden liquid inside. To the right of the glass is a blue plate with a large yellow apple next to what look like dark red dates or raisins. Resting beside the plate is a thin brown twig with green leaves. Farthest to the right is a small round yellow cake with white frosting, decorated with a pink dot in the center of the frosting and four green ovals around it. The surface these objects rest on is light gray, and they cast dark shadows, indicating light coming from the left. The wall behind the objects is mostly black, which transitions into a lighter gray color on the far-right side of the painting.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
On View

West Building Main Floor, Gallery M69


Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on wood

  • Credit Line

    Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

  • Dimensions

    overall: 26.67 × 41.59 cm (10 1/2 × 16 3/8 in.)
    framed: 36.04 × 51.22 × 4.6 cm (14 3/16 × 20 3/16 × 1 13/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2014.18.35


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Paul Mellon [1907-1999], Upperville, Virginia; bequest 1999 to NGA, with life interest to his wife, Rachel Lambert Mellon [1910-2014].

Associated Names

Bibliography

1988

  • Cikovsky, Jr., Nicolai Raphaelle Peale Still Lifes. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Washington, D.C., 1988: no. 5, repro. (not in the exhibition).

Inscriptions

lower right: Raphaelle Peale Jany. 1822

Wikidata ID

Q20184726

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