Still Life With Olives, Lemon, And A Pot - Signed - 1894

An elegant still life from the late 19th century depicting a collection of everyday objects carefully arranged on a mantelpiece. The composition includes a porcelain bowl decorated with floral motifs, a bottle, a woven basket, a tin-plated copper pot, a mustard jar, a spoon, a ladle, and a sliced lemon accompanied by a few olives.

The artist demonstrates true mastery in rendering materials: the velvety translucence of the porcelain, the warm sheen of the copper, the texture of the wicker basket, and the subtle gleam of the metal utensils all attest to careful observation and academic skill. The contrast between the dark background and the illuminated objects lends the composition an intimate and refined atmosphere, characteristic of still lifes from the second half of the 19th century.

The work is signed in the upper right corner—the signature can be read as either Monneret or Menneret—and is dated 1894. Although the artist’s identity has yet to be definitively established, this painting captivates with the quality of its execution and its timeless decorative charm.

Presented in its original wooden frame, it offers a charming glimpse into the bourgeois taste for interior scenes and compositions of everyday objects in the late 19th century.

Period: dated 1894
Technique: oil on canvas
Signature: signed in the upper right, “Monneret” or “Menneret” (to be deciphered)
Subject: still life with kitchen utensils and a lemon
Frame: original antique wooden frame
Origin: French school, 19th century
Condition: generally good condition; some slight wear and normal age-related cracking. The frame shows signs of use.

Dimensions:

• Canvas: 38 cm x 46 cm
• With frame: 49 cm x 56 cm