Dimensions: unconfirmed: 452 x 617 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: Here we have Robert Edge Pine's "Still Life with Palette and Brushes, Fruit and Flowers," a luscious composition of artistic tools intertwined with natural bounty. Editor: It strikes me as immediately opulent, almost theatrical in its arrangement and the velvety darkness from which the still life emerges. Curator: Indeed! The palette centrally placed evokes the artist's creative process, nestled amongst symbols of beauty, abundance, and perhaps even the transience of life represented by the flowers. Editor: The composition is cunning, with the palette acting as a sort of fulcrum, balancing the weight of the grapes on one side against the light of the roses on the other. It’s a controlled asymmetry. Curator: The objects gain power when placed in the symbolic realm—a rich visual language connecting art and nature. Editor: It shows a clever arrangement, carefully structured to explore visual relationships. Curator: Yes, a fascinating glimpse into how Pine perceived his role as an artist in the world. Editor: I think I see this still life somewhat differently now. Thank you.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/pine-still-life-with-palette-and-brushes-fruit-and-flowers-t06674
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Pine was described as an 'eminent painter' as early as 1748. He was a successful portrait and history painter in London, Bath and, after 1783, in America. This is the only still life known by him. A piece of paper with his name and 'London' lies under the palette and brushes. The picture presents the tools of his trade as part of a rich still life arrangement which, with its lush grapes, full-blown roses and honeysuckle, is literally suggestive of the sweet smell of success. It may have been a student exercise in colour and handling, or it could have served as a charming advertisement in the painter's studio or shop window. Gallery label, September 2004
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