The First Fruits of Art

The First Fruits of Art: How Fruit in Art History Signified Class and Culture

Fruit has appeared in visual art for thousands of years, admired not just for its beauty but for its layered symbolism. From tomb walls in ancient Egypt to opulent still lifes in 17th-century Dutch homes, fruit has been used by artists to quietly communicate power, privilege, and even spiritual messages. This blog explores the earliest depictions of fruit in art and how its presence evolved into a coded marker of social class.

The Earliest Depictions: Sustenance for the Afterlife

Some of the oldest known fruit depictions come from ancient Egyptian tomb paintings, such as those in the Tomb of Nebamun (c. 1350 BCE). Here, figs, grapes, and sycamore fruit were meticulously painted to accompany the deceased into the afterlife—a sign of abundance and divine favour (British Museum, n.d.). These images weren’t simply decorative; they reflected the wealth and status of the tomb’s owner.

In Ancient Rome, frescoes in villas like those found in Pompeii and Herculaneum (buried in 79 CE) showcase still lifes featuring figs, pomegranates, and peaches. These images often adorned dining areas (triclinia), suggesting hospitality, refinement, and affluence (Clarke, 2003).

Fruit and Class in the Dutch Golden Age

The 16th and 17th centuries saw the rise of the still life genre in European art, particularly in the Netherlands. Artists like Jan Davidsz. de Heem, Willem Kalf, and Pieter Claesz became renowned for lush still lifes that often overflowed with expensive fruits—lemons, oranges, peaches, and grapes—alongside silverware, glass, and imported spices. These works weren't just celebrations of abundance; they were quiet proclamations of wealth and taste.

Imported fruits such as citrus were especially prized, and their inclusion was a subtle indicator of class. Citrus, for example, came from southern Europe and the colonies, making it expensive and exclusive (Franits, 2004). A peeled lemon—a common motif—was both a show of luxury and a metaphor for the transience of worldly pleasure: beautiful to look at but sour to taste.

Symbolism Beyond Class

In Catholic regions like Italy and Spain, fruit carried layered religious meanings. Grapes symbolised the Eucharist and the blood of Christ, while apples referenced the fall of man. In Protestant regions, particularly the Netherlands, fruit often featured in vanitas paintings—still lifes that warned of life's brevity and the futility of earthly riches. A bruised peach or decaying pomegranate might remind the viewer of mortality (memento mori) and the emptiness of material excess (Alpers, 1983).

What appears at first glance to be a simple still life can often be read as a carefully coded statement of class, trade, religion, and the impermanence of life. From ancient tombs to bourgeois homes, fruit has always been more than mere decoration—it’s been a signpost of status, morality, and the human condition.

References

• Alpers, S. (1983). The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century. University of Chicago Press.

• British Museum. (n.d.). Tomb of Nebamun. https://www.britishmuseum.org

• Clarke, J. R. (2003). Art in the Lives of Ordinary Romans: Visual Representation and Non-Elite Viewers in Italy, 100 B.C.-A.D. 315. University of California Press.

• Franits, W. (2004). Dutch Seventeenth-Century Genre Painting: Its Stylistic and Thematic Evolution. Yale University Press.

• Zuffi, S. (2005). Still Life. Abrams.