Kirschen, Pfirsiche und Trauben 

Curator: Good morning. We’re standing before “Kirschen, Pfirsiche und Trauben,” a captivating still life by A. Flüggen in the Städel Museum collection. It is rendered on paper using chalk and pastel. Editor: My first impression? It’s serene, almost ghostly. The muted colors create a dreamlike quality. There's a stillness to it that’s quite disarming. Curator: Absolutely. Flüggen's choice of pastel lends a softness that enhances this ethereal feel. The composition is quite traditional—cherries, peaches, and grapes arranged artfully—but the handling of light is what sets it apart. It is rendered in the Romantic style. Editor: Agreed. The romantic style is really at play, though I would have placed this a little bit earlier in history, to the Neoclassical Period! Observe how light falls on the grapes, almost individually illuminating each one. The overall effect is a celebration of texture. Curator: Yes, it's also as if she is revealing each fruit, cherishing the delicacy of this feast. One could imagine Flüggen lost in these colors and this bounty during its creation. I wonder, did she grow any of these items in her personal garden? Editor: It really lends a meditative aspect. Flüggen’s decision to portray these elements could also be linked to memento mori themes, don't you think? After all, the delicate nature of these fruits, highlighted by the pastels, subtly echoes life’s ephemerality. Curator: Indeed, that transience. Although perhaps not intentionally symbolic. What truly captures me is the technique. It feels very much in the here and now. Editor: The restraint! It's a piece that draws you in closer. In the end, the painting feels very balanced. Almost perfect, or clinical in its execution. The artist here had exceptional talent. Curator: It does remind me to celebrate the small, quiet moments. Let us relish in the sweetness, like one of these cherries!