Still Life of Four Peaches 1862

Henri Fantin-Latour painted this still life of peaches in France, at a time when the institutions of art were being questioned. Fantin-Latour devoted his career to still life painting, and he was interested in capturing the beauty of everyday objects rather than idealised or historical subjects, as the French Academy prescribed. By choosing to paint these simple objects, he challenged the academic hierarchy that valued history painting above all other genres. He had a tense relationship with the Salon system and instead exhibited at the alternative venue of the Royal Academy, with other Realist and Impressionist painters. The painting’s attention to texture and light suggests an interest in the sensory experience of the fruit, and invites us to reflect on what is considered worthy of artistic representation. By studying the Salon system and artistic movements of 19th-century France, we can appreciate the ways in which artists like Fantin-Latour pushed against established norms. This is a crucial role of the art historian: to uncover the social context that shaped the creation and reception of art.