Bidspirit auction | Still Life with Fruits and

Still Life with Fruits and Vegetables. Viceregal School. 18th Century - Oil on canvas. This landscape-format composition presents a still life with a variety of fruits and vegetables arranged on a flat surface, captured with realism and restraint. On the left, a large slice of watermelon stands out, with pink flesh and a rough texture, next to a whole garlic clove. These are followed by quinces, apples, lemons, sliced ​​oranges, a wedge of cheese, and, on the right, two cloves of garlic and a bunch of spring onions. The whole is bathed in soft lighting, allowing the objects to stand out through their color and volume, reinforcing the sense of stillness and balance. The dark background accentuates the visual drama and frames the scene within a tenebrist aesthetic typical of Andean viceregal painting. The execution reveals careful strokes and a meticulous descriptive intent, with attention to the textures of the fruit's skin and the subtle reflections on the ceramic. This type of still life, full of symbolism and educational value, was very common in convents and stately homes during the Viceroyalty, associated with values ​​such as frugality, provision, and silent contemplation of everyday life. Measurements not shown.