Bidspirit auction | After William Michael Harnett (American,

After William Michael Harnett (American, 1848–1892), My Gems - This oil on canvas is a trompe l'oeil still life titled My Gems, after the original 1888 work by William Michael Harnett. The composition features a meticulously rendered arrangement of objects including several leather-bound books, a blue-and-white patterned ceramic jug, a metal oil lamp, an inkwell with a quill pen, a wooden flute, and a sheet of music. The sheet music is inscribed with the legible French title HELAS QUELLE DOULEUR. The painting is executed with the fine, smooth brushwork and dramatic chiaroscuro lighting characteristic of late 19th-century American realism. The work is signed HARNETT 1888 in the lower right corner. It is housed in a dark wood frame with a wide, reddish-maroon inner bevel. 27 x 21 inches.