Art Institute of Chicago

Still Life with Grapes and Flowers

Mélanie de Comoléra (French, 1789-1854)LinkedCulture matchlcp-6be1594a809c

Date: c. 1827
Medium: Oil on canvas
Culture: France
Department: Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Institution: Art Institute of Chicago
Object ID: 265263

From the Art Institute of Chicago record

In this exquisite still life, Mélanie de Comoléra skillfully depicted a variety of flowers, fruits, and other luxury objects. On a marble ledge sits a wide bowl, overflowing with grapes and plums. Behind it, a glass pitcher holds a mix of colorful flowers. In the foreground, key limes and jalapeño peppers, botanical species that are not indigenous to Europe, evoke themes of colonialism and global trade. Mélanie de Comoléra studied and worked in France before moving to London, where she made this painting. The artist established a successful career there and became the official painter to the Duchess of Clarence (later Queen Adelaide) and Queen Victoria.

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Provenance & credit

As published by the source institution. Coverage varies — not every institution's open-data feed includes ownership history.

Credit line: Through prior purchase with funds provided by Eugene and Helen Huang in memory of Ada and Wilfred Polkinghorne, Justin K. Thannhauser, A. A. Munger Collection, bequest of Celia Schmidt Estate
Provenance: Julian Simmons (born 1952), UK, c. 2005 [according to sticker on the verso and correspondence with Guillermo Pinilla, Aug. 11, 2023; copy in curatorial file]. Private collection (probably Steve Case and Jean Villanueva), Merrywood Estate, McClean, VA; sold, Potomack Company, Merrywood Estate Collection, Jan. 26, 2022, lot 500, to Sahen Fine Art, Paris; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2023.