Louise Moillon
French, 1610­1696
Still Life with a Basket of Fruit and a Bunch 
of Asparagus
1630
Oil on panel
53.3 x 71.3 cm
Wirt D. Walker Fund, 1948.78

A painting of an arrangement of fruit, flowers, or other objects is called a still life. In the seventeenth century, short-lived but beautiful flowers and fruit were often used in still lifes to suggest to the viewer that all life on earth is short. The artist who arranged and then painted this still life was the daughter of the court painter of the king of France. 

How many different kinds of fruit and flowers can you see? There’s a butterfly here, too. Can you find it?