Fruit Piece c. 19th century

Carducius Plantagenet Ream made this still life oil painting, entitled "Fruit Piece," sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The piece is in keeping with the American interest in still life painting during this period. Such compositions, common in middle-class homes, served as symbols of prosperity and tastefulness. With its careful arrangement of fruit on a tabletop, Ream's painting draws on a long European tradition, particularly Dutch Golden Age painting, in which such scenes emphasized realism and visual delight. Here, the inclusion of bananas and oranges hint at the expansion of global trade and the increasing availability of exotic goods to American consumers. While seemingly conservative in its adherence to tradition, the painting subtly reflects the economic and social shifts of its time. Art historians consider a variety of sources – including exhibition records, period publications, and economic data – to better understand how paintings like these functioned within their original social context. This helps us to understand the role of art as something that is contingent on social and institutional context.