Basket with fruits 1878

Editor: This is Polychronis Lembesis’s “Basket with Fruits,” created in 1878 using oil paint. It's quite a dark still life, and the brushstrokes seem thick. What stands out to you about this painting? Curator: The materiality really dictates the experience here. Look at how the impasto technique contributes to a tangible, almost sculptural quality. It forces us to consider Lembesis's labour, the physical act of layering oil paint. Do you think this textural emphasis elevates the "low" subject matter of everyday fruit? Editor: I think so! It definitely draws your attention in a way a smoother painting might not. What about the social context? Was still life considered particularly "low" at this time? Curator: Absolutely. Historically, still life painting was often regarded as less prestigious than, say, history painting. But here, Lembesis seems to be challenging that hierarchy. The labor-intensive paint application elevates what might be perceived as a common domestic scene. The very choice of fruits -- consider what fruits were accessible to the masses versus the wealthy. Could the selection be a social commentary as well? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered that the type of fruit could signify anything beyond the visual. So, the materials and method of production are actually arguing for a re-evaluation of what is considered worthy art? Curator: Precisely! And we can extend that to how the painting itself might have been consumed. Was it meant for a private collector, or for public display? These factors influenced its very creation. Editor: I'm starting to see still life paintings in a new light now, thinking about them in terms of labor and material value instead of just composition. Thank you! Curator: And I'm reminded how "humble" subjects can actually offer potent insights into artistic and social hierarchies, thanks to close material readings.