'A Florentine Fruit Stall', Johan Zoffany

Artwork details

Artist

Johan Zoffany (1733‑1810)

Title

A Florentine Fruit Stall

Date c.1777

MediumOil paint on canvas

Dimensionssupport: 578 x 492 mm frame: 732 x 637 x 82 mm

Collection

Tate

Acquisition Purchased 1955

Reference

T00054

Not on display

Summary

This is probably the picture described in Zoffany's posthumous studio sale catalogue (1811) as 'a most excellent groupe, very highly finished and one of his best performances'. The indications are that, as it was in his possession until his death, Zoffany painted it for his own pleasure.

The four main figures, probably painted from living models, are an old beggar, a market-woman, her daughter and a girl, perhaps a contadina (country girl), with a basket. In the background is a humorously depicted Capuchin friar. The actions of the two right-hand figures, who invite a purchaser to buy their goods, suggest that the picture was cut down on the right, and indeed a 1962 cleaning revealed a fragment of a figure to the right of the girl's shoulder. As the picture was unlikely to have been square in shape, it is likely that several figures were originally included on the right… (read more)