Bunch of Grapes, Andrew Way
In the Walters Art Museum. Use “Explore Object” line in upper left of image for zoomable version, or Download link to right. Image can also be viewed in a zoomable version on Google Art Project.
I haven’t seen the original, but my instincts tell me this image may be overly dark (as many museum website photos of artwork seem to be). I’ve taken the liberty of lightening the images above a bit to bring out the underlying red color of the grapes, which is not obvious in the museum’s version of the image.
Way was a Baltimore native who switched his specialty from portraiture to still life. Many of his subjects were of grapes, rendered faithfully as recognizable varieties — in a way, “portraits” of grapes.
I love his sensitive rendering of the grape leaves, especially the one turning brown, and the subtle edges of the shadow that it so integral to his composition.
See my previous Eye Candy post on another still life of grapes in the collection of the Walters Museum.