Southern Italian Painted Tondo of Oranges From The Late 19th Century - 27½"

Painted in Southern Italy in the late 19th century, this substantial round oil on canvas tondo depicts a lush still life of oranges piled on a stone ledge, their glossy leaves punctuated by delicate white blossoms. A trompe l’oeil cartouche with the Latin inscription Et Aurea (“and gold”) anchors the lower register. The palette blends bright orange amber, and deep greens against a warm umber ground, unified by a very thick, high-gloss varnish. Unsigned, as is typical for decorative panels, it shows stable craquelure, rubbing and small losses around the perimeter, and minor surface rippling, all consistent with age.

Originally part of a pair inspired by Bartolomeo Bimbi’s (1648-1729) celebrated citrus still lifes, the companion panel depicted lemons, together forming the phrase Citri et Aurea (“citrons and golden”). In ancient Latin, oranges were often referred to as aurea, the “golden fruits”, a symbol of prosperity and abundance. Such decorative tondi were designed for villas in citrus-growing regions like Campania and Sicily, their circular form recalling Renaissance precedents and their imagery celebrating Mediterranean hospitality.

This tondo brings a refined Mediterranean accent to domestic spaces, from kitchens to garden rooms, echoing the grandeur of Italian villas.  Its circular form is ideal above a doorway, mantel, or dining nook, where it can complement rustic materials or lend a touch of history to modern settings.