Old Woman with a Basket of Fruit c. 18th century

Editor: This is "Old Woman with a Basket of Fruit" by Pellegrino dal Colle. It feels like a glimpse into a simple, rural life, but there's a kind of staged, almost theatrical quality to it. What do you make of this scene? Curator: It whispers tales of idealized rusticity, doesn't it? Dal Colle, I imagine, wasn’t after gritty realism. It’s more of a poetic pastoral, where the hardship is softened, and the landscape becomes a backdrop for a gentle narrative. Do you see how the light almost caresses the figures? Editor: Yes, it is a little like a story book in how it portrays everything. It's interesting how you mention the light! Curator: The light is key! It is a way of taking the edge off of what it might have been to live back then. It allows the viewer to take pleasure in seeing a narrative, without actually having to live it. It becomes a reverie. Editor: It is so true! It's a story we want to believe, rather than necessarily how it actually was.