“Still-Life of Grapes & Peaches” French Painting by Alfred Brunel de Neuville

MORSTON CONSTANTINE REAM United States, 1840-1898 Still Life of Six Peaches in a Porcelain and Glass Bowl with a Knife Oil on canvas unsigned circa 1880 Item # 403EDF06S An exquisite still-life rich with texture, color and brilliant use of light. This tranquil scene features six peaches in a beautifully decorated ceramic bowl with a translucent glass rim resting on a table covered in two layers of cloths. The first has a a pearl color with a greek-key border, overall having a silky sheen and a chaotic fringe edge; the second is a green fabric with geometric patterns. Along the side of the bowl is situated a pearl handled bread knife, something of a hallmark for Morston Ream, as he used several styles of pearl-handled knives in almost this exact orientation for several of his paintings. For a nearly identical knife and placement, see Christie's, New York, 3 March 2011, lot 76 ("Fine American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture"), 10" x 11 3/4", achieved $ 8750. Another example with identical angling of the knife sold at Doyle, New York, 2 November 2021, lot 71 [achieved $ 4250]. A solitary bead drips from the center peach as a fly stands perched at the top. The work is unsigned, but is without any question the work of Ream. It likely dates between 1880 and 1888, as the original frame had a label on it from Thomas A. Wilmurt, a well-established framing and looking glass company in New York City that moved to its 54 East 13th Street premises noted on the label around 1880. Images of that label and the original frame from when this painting was offered at Tremont Auctions of Sudbury, Massachusetts (lot 209, 25 April 2021) will be included with the information packet our gallery provides. ARTIST Born in Lancaster, Ohio in 1840, Morston Constantine Ream was the younger brother of Carducius Plantagenet Ream (American, 1837-1917), an artist who became at least as famous as Morston for his brilliant fruit pictures. Morston began painting in the late 1860s, leaving his career as a daguerreotypist for fear it was damaging to his health. He exhibited extensively, his first exhibit recorded at the National Academy in 1872 while he was living at 56 Bank Street in the west part of Greenich Village in New York City. He listed his address at Union Square in Philadelphia from 1876 through 1882 when he listed his address as 862 Broadway. He began sending paintings to the exhibitions at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1888, then listing his address as 1244 Broadway in New York City, but by 1896 he had moved to Chicago to live at 558 50th Street. He actively sent paintings to the major exhibitions, regularly exhibiting at the National Academy from 1872 through 1883, sending paintings to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1876 and 1881, as well as exhibiting at Moore’s Art Rooms and the Brooklyn Art Association. He died in 1898 at 58 years of age in New York City. Similar market examples: Still Life with...

BRYANT CHAPIN United States, 1859-1927 Still Life of Apples (1900) Oil on canvas signed lower left “BRYANT CHAPIN / 1900.” Item # 404PDJ21Q A vivd scene that captures the essence of nature's bounty through the portrayal of vibrant, freshly picked apples. Unlike many of his contemporaries who preferred lush, naturalistic environments, Bryant Chapin often chose a simpler greenish-brown backdrop, allowing the viewer's attention to be drawn solely to the meticulously rendered apples. The apples are the focal point of the image, each depicted with their rich red and yellow skins glistening under the warm sunlight. The manner in which Chapin paints them allows them to almost hover above the rustic surface. This characteristic slight elevation of the fruit from the surface is a distinctive feature of Chapin’s style. The background is largely impressionistic with bold chaotic brushstrokes blending earthy tones of greens and browns with subtle textures, an effect that provides a softened contrast to the hyper-realist bright and shiny apples, emphasizing their freshness and natural beauty. For a similar example on the open market, see a nearly identical painting Chapin painted in 1907 with almost the same stretcher size (10" x 15") which was offered at Bonham's, New York in their May 21, 2008 sale (lot 1003), which achieved $ 5,400 USD. ARTIST Bryant Chapin (American, 1859-1927) was a prominent still life artist, born and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts, where he spent his entire life. The early roots of his artistic inclination were likely nurtured by his maternal aunt, Sarah Augusta Borden née Washburn (1841-1911), a pioneering art teacher in Fall River. Chapin studied under the prominent still-life painter Robert Spear Dunning (1829-1905), a connection evident in his early works which reflect Dunning’s influence. These initial paintings often feature fruit meticulously arranged on highly polished tabletops with elaborate carved edges and reflective surfaces, showcasing Chapin's attention to detail and his delicate rendering of light and texture. Before fully dedicating himself to art, Chapin pursued careers in engineering and banking. It wasn't until 1888, at the age of twenty-nine, that he established his first studio and committed to his artistic profession. Chapin maintained this studio in Fall River throughout his life. He also briefly taught freehand drawing at the Fall River Evening Drawing School, part of the local public school system. Chapin’s artistic repertoire included still lifes, landscapes, marine scenes, and occasional portraits. His still life paintings can be categorized into two styles: arrangements of fruit on polished tabletops with intricate moldings and reflections, and outdoor settings where fruit is placed directly on the ground against a vague, greenish-brown background. His outdoor still lifes often feature vibrant berries spilling from rustic, wooden boxes. Chapin traveled extensively throughout New England and Canada to paint landscapes, and in 1912 and 1913, he ventured abroad in search of new subjects. His Impressionistic landscapes were described as having a "wistful mysticism," making them popular among contemporary audiences. Hezekiah Anthony Dyer...

GOTTFRIED SCHULTZ German, 1842-1919 Still-Life with Fruits and Wine on a Marble Surface with a Small Fly Oil on linen Signed upper left "G. Schultz" Item # 402UJE16Z An intricately painted still-life scene centered around a blown glass goblet of white wine centered on a marble table top. Red and white grapes spill across the surface with a sprig of the grape vine together with several large leaves resting on the top while peaches, a pear, two plums and an open apricot are laid out on the table. A single fly looks on at the table of sweet fruits and juices, its tiny body casting...

ALFRED AUGUSTUS GLENDENING British, active 1861-1903 A Figure Overlooking a River Landscape Before a Pasture of Grazing Sheep (1884) Oil on canvas signed lower left "A. A. GLENDEN...

Alfred Arthur Brunel De Neuville French, 1852-1941 “Three kittens with Ball of Yarn” Oil on canvas Signed lower left 15 by 18in. w/frame 27 by 30in. One of the m...

I quadri antichi, Natura Morta con Frutta qui proposto è una pittura ad olio su tela dell'800 e veste con una bella  cornice dorata in foglia di oro zecchino di epoca Ottocento. XIX...

Wondeful still life scene of peaches spread across a table by West Chester artist George Cope.

Francesco Malacrea (Italian, 1812-1886), "Still Life with Grapes and Peaches", oil on canvas, signed lower right, label en verso, approximately 14" ...