Marble Tabletop with Fruit and Wineglass
1869
Medium
oil on board
Dimensions
overall: 30.48 × 40.96 cm (12 × 16 1/8 in.) framed: 40.64 × 50.8 × 5.08 cm (16 × 20 × 2 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CAB
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of William and Abigail Gerdts
Accession Number
2018.44.16
Art Historical Context
**Marble Tabletop with Fruit and Wineglass** an intimate still-life painting by Milne Ramsey, in 1869. just 12 by 16 inches, this-on-board work presents a carefully arranged scene of ripe fruit and a delicate wineglass resting on a marble surface. The modest scale draws viewers close, inviting them to linger over the play of light across glass, stone, and organic forms. In the mid-19th century, still-life painting offered American artists a chance to celebrate abundance and domestic refinement while showcasing technical virtuosity. Oil on board was a favored support for such smaller compositi...