Very large antique Belgian still life painting of fruits and flowers

18150: Very large antique Belgian still life painting of fruits and flowers by Charles Verlat
Belgian, 1885
Panel: Height 157cm, width 109cm
Frame: Height 175cm, width 127cm, depth 8cm

This remarkable still life is the creation of Charles Verlat (1824–1890), a celebrated Belgian painter renowned for his versatility and technical skill. Trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Verlat enjoyed a distinguished international career, exhibiting widely across Europe. His oeuvre spans history painting, portraiture, animal studies, and still life, with his work from the 1880s reflecting a mature style characterized by vibrant colour, careful composition, and meticulous craftsmanship.
This large-scale piece showcases an extravagant display of flowers and fruit, harmoniously arranged to convey both visual richness and balance. A multicoloured floral bouquet dominates the left side of the canvas, leading the eye toward a wicker basket overflowing with apples, pears, and other fruits, while clusters of grapes hang above. A tiny bird perches gracefully on the edge of the basket, and a delicate butterfly rests on fallen rose petals below, adding lively detail to the scene. In the background, the stone wall is inscribed with ‘FLORE & POMONE’, likely a nod to classical mythology: Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, and Pomona, goddess of fruit trees and orchards.
Painted in oil on a cradled wooden panel, the work exemplifies Verlat’s masterful handling of light, colour, and depth, with finely rendered textures and careful attention to detail. The painting is signed and dated in the lower left corner: ‘Charles Verlat, Anvers, 1885’. It is presented in a richly gilded frame that enhances the composition’s grandeur. The back of the panel features old retailer’s labels.
Combining an abundance of subject matter with exceptional technique and distinguished provenance, this work is a captivating decorative piece, perfect for collectors and connoisseurs of 19th-century European art.
$ 112,500