Giuseppe Recco (1634-1695) – Still Life With Melons, Pears, Peaches, Plums And Figs

Signed at the bottom of the stone "Gios Recco 1671".
Rough wooden frame 19th century.

Giuseppe Recco undoubtedly stood out as one of the most eminent still-life painters of 17th-century Naples. His artistic diversity is evident in a rich collection of paintings depicting fish, molluscs, game, flowers, vegetables and fruit, most of which are adorned with various signatures, dates and monograms. Born on 12 July 1634 in the parish of San Liborio and the son of a painter, Giuseppe Recco trained under the tutelage of several Neapolitan artists, including Paolo Porpora, who introduced him to the masterly depiction of still lifes, particularly fish and seafood. He excelled particularly in this field.
Like his major work on display at the Museo Capodimonte in Naples, Recco here demonstrates remarkable skill in depicting fruit.
The meticulous, geometric arrangement of the fruit, bathed in a soft, silvery light, recalls the works of Giuseppe Ruoppolo, a contemporary of Recco.
In addition, the elegant bowl decorated with a blue border and a beaded handle, visible on the left-hand side of the painting, can also be found in other compositions by Recco, such as the one on display at the National Museum in Warsaw.