Still Life: Basket of Grapes
Annie M. SNYDER
(American, 1852-1927)
Still Life: Basket of Grapes
Date1890s
Mediumoil on academy board
Dimensionsoverall: 14 x 20 in. (35.6 x 50.8 cm)
ClassificationPAINTINGS
Credit LineSBMA, Gift of JoAnn and Julian Ganz, Jr in memory of G. Ione McMahan
Object number1976.8
Subject(s)
- food
- fruit
- fruit still life
Collection
- 19th century American
- American
Sub-Collection(s)
- Still Life
- American
On View
On viewLabel TextAnnie Snyder remains critically neglected, even though, as this exquisite still-life attests, she possessed prodigious technical skill, especially with still-life subjects. Largely self-taught, Snyder came from an agricultural background and only sold the family farm and devoted herself entirely to painting in 1901 after the death of her mother. She earned her living by exhibiting her work in the windows of department stores and by the occasional commissioned portrait. The marketability of a simple still-life composition such as this is attested by its autograph close variation that recently sold at auction. Eventually, Snyder became sufficiently well-known to be commissioned to do large-scale decorations, such as The Seasons, still preserved in the Masonic temple of her hometown of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania.
