Severin Roesen

(American, 1815-1872)

Still Life with Fruit and Champagne on a Marble Ledge, c. 1860

oil on canvas

signed Roesen (lower right)

37 1/8 x 44 in.

Property Deaccessioned from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Severin Roesen’s autumnal still life displays a sensual array of fruit on a gray marble ledge adjacent to a flute of effervescent champagne. Best known for his floral subjects, the German-born artist adapted his practice to satisfy the demands of affluent American collectors, who tended to favor fruit-filled compositions to flowers. Executed a decade after Roesen relocated to the United States, the present work boasts all the luminousness and virtuosity of his previous efforts.

Roesen’s mastery over the still life genre lies in his ability to capture the sumptuousness of nature with precision and painstaking attention to detail. His works, characterized by a vibrant palette and lush, bountiful compositions, approach fruit (and flowers and foliage) as “sculptural” objects. Modeled in three dimensions, with all the weight and definition one might expect, each is arranged in an overlapping manner, creating an atmosphere of luxury and abundance.

At a commanding 37 x 44 inches, the present work is a tour de force of Roesen’s observational skill and technical acumen. The fruits, comprised of luscious grapes, succulent peaches, raspberries, apples, and citrus, are articulate with a remarkable degree of realism. His choice of subject matter reflects not only a fascination with the aesthetic properties of fruit but also themes related to luxury, abundance, and the cycle of life. Roesen’s deft handling of light and shadow further enhances the illusion of three-dimensionality, creating a sense of tangible presence and of gravitas within the composition.

Underlying the strongest of Roesen's paintings is a symbolic visual language that adds additional layers of meaning to his fruit-filled presentations. The number and variety of fruit is suggestive of the spirit of optimism and opportunity—indeed of beauty and bounty—that pervaded antebellum America. Moreover, Roesen invites viewers to contemplate the richness of the natural world and to reflect upon the cyclical, fleeting nature of existence. Recalling the Dutch Old Master tradition of still life painting, works like the present lot are profound meditations on the interconnectedness of nature, art, and life.

Housed in an impressive giltwood period frame with stenciled ‘rustic rock’ pattern in the cove and floral ornaments on the outside.

Provenance:

Chapellier Gallery, New York, New York.

Coe Kerr Gallery, New York, New York.

Acquired directly from the above in 1977.

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia (accession no. 77.12–museum purchase through the Williams Fund).

Lot Essay:

Severin Roesen’s autumnal still life displays a sensual array of fruit on a gray marble ledge adjacent to a flute of effervescent champagne. Best known for his floral subjects, the German-born artist adapted his practice to satisfy the demands of affluent American collectors, who tended to favor fruit-filled compositions to flowers. Executed a decade after Roesen relocated to the United States, the present work boasts all the luminousness and virtuosity of his previous efforts.

Roesen’s mastery over the still life genre lies in his ability to capture the sumptuousness of nature with precision and painstaking attention to detail. His works, characterized by a vibrant palette and lush, bountiful compositions, approach fruit (and flowers and foliage) as “sculptural” objects. Modeled in three dimensions, with all the weight and definition one might expect, each is arranged in an overlapping manner, creating an atmosphere of luxury and abundance.

At a commanding 37 x 44 inches, the present work is a tour de force of Roesen’s observational skill and technical acumen. The fruits, comprised of luscious grapes, succulent peaches, raspberries, apples, and citrus, are articulated with a remarkable degree of realism. His choice of subject matter reflects not only a fascination with the aesthetic properties of fruit but also themes related to luxury, abundance, and the cycle of life. Roesen’s deft handling of light and shadow further enhances the illusion of three-dimensionality, creating a sense of tangible presence and of gravitas within the composition.

Underlying the strongest of Roesen's paintings is a symbolic visual language that adds additional layers of meaning to his fruit-filled presentations. The number and variety of fruit is suggestive of the spirit of optimism and opportunity—indeed of beauty and bounty—that pervaded antebellum America. Moreover, Roesen invites viewers to contemplate the richness of the natural world and to reflect upon the cyclical, fleeting nature of existence. Recalling the Dutch Old Master tradition of still life painting, works like the present lot are profound meditations on the interconnectedness of nature, art, and life.

Still Life with Fruit and Champagne on a Marble Ledge, c. 1860

Still Life with Fruit and Champagne on a Marble Ledge, c. 1860