Still Life With a California White

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At first glance, it’s a bowl of grapes, etc. spilled out artistically against a neutral background. But no, front and … Read more At first glance, it’s a bowl of grapes, etc. spilled out artistically against a neutral background. But no, front and center is a fruit rarely seen in the flesh, a California White Pomegranate. (You were, perhaps, expecting a nice complex Chardonnay?) Judging by the global wine trade, grapes grow nearly everywhere except the Arctic, but not the California White, which favors warmer climates. As the star of this early 20th-century still life by Sydney Lemos, this unusual pomegranate is lusciously alluring to the eye. The pearly white skin glows, and the bright red arils contrast quite beautifully with that skin. Furthermore, it tastes as delicious as it looks, offering a sweet but subtle tangy taste with fruity, earthy, and wine-like nuances. Is there such a thing as fruit porn?
Los Angeles-born Sydney Lemos was known as an Impressionist landscape painter and stained-glass designer, who counted among his friends the artistic power couple Maynard Dixon and Dorothea Lange. He died in Napa Valley.
The painting is offered in its original Art Nouveau frame. See less