GERMAN SCHOOL (19th Century) "Still Life with Fruit." Signed indistinctly, Lower Right. Oil on canvas, 8 ˝" x 11" (sight); 12" x 16" (framed). Price Category: A

In this richly painted still life, a glass of white wine, two plump peaches, and a basket of overflowing grapes are set against a background of dark shadows and illuminated by a soft light falling from the left, brushing the objects with subtle highlights. The arrangement and treatment of the grouping–a green-stemmed goblet, a pair of ripe peaches, two bunches of grapes, one green, the other purple–are reminiscent of the Dutch Old Masters, but this work dates from the 19th rather than the 17th century and is probably German in origin. It is signed with the initials "I." and "v." (probably "von") and a family name clearly beginning with "T," but the remainder of the signature is faint. By whatever hand, this traditional still life is beautifully rendered and presented in a handsome gilt period frame. Provenance: Jackson's International Auctioneers, Cedar Falls, Iowa: Important European and American Art, July 17, 2007, Lot 513.

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