French C.1900 Oil On Canvas Still Life Of Fruit And Pastries - 18" x 22"

This oil on canvas, circa 1900, presents a richly composed still life of seasonal fruit and pastries arranged on a stone ledge or tabletop. A piled platter of ripe red strawberries dominates the foreground, their vibrant hue set in striking contrast against the pale golden grapes and the warm amber tones of a pineapple to the right. Above, a raised dish holds open tarts filled with deep red fruit beside a small brioche. Set against a deep olive ground, the composition is painted with smooth academic brushwork and subtle glazing that heighten the sheen of skins, seeds, and pastry. Signed at the lower right, the work shows light edge wear, scattered abrasions, and a small area of damage in the lower left corner, together with age-appropriate craquelure.

The interplay of vivid reds, golden yellows, and deep greens gives the painting both balance and lively contrast, underscoring its decorative appeal. Its warm palette and appetizing motif makes it an ideal piece for a dining room, breakfast nook, or butler’s pantry, where it can crown a marble-topped console or mahogany sideboard. It pairs beautifully with patinated copper, cream faïence, or woven linens, and can be displayed alone for a focused vignette or layered with other still life paintings to form a small gallery wall.

Classic in subject and gently patinated by time, it brings both charm and grounded character to traditional interiors as well as a rustic note to contemporary kitchens.