Juan Fernández
, Spanish, d. c.1657
Title
A Still Life with Citrons, a Knife and Peapods on a Stone LedgeDatemid-1630s
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions
36 x 52 cm
Credit LinePurchased, 1976 (Shaw Fund)
Object numberNGI.4186
Label TextA cut lemon, citrons, artichokes, pea pods and a knife lie on a stone ledge against a background of green leaves. The prominence of the fruit is enhanced by a change in the green pigment of the leaves, which have turned grey-blue and brown. Fernández was a Spanish painter of fruit and flower pieces. Little is known about his life, but his work was highly sought after during his lifetime and collected by, among others, King Philips IV of Spain. Fernández was influenced by Caravaggio’s naturalism and dramatic lighting, but his attention to detail recalls the work of Flemish still-life painters.