Italian, Venice
Basket of Fruit, 19th century
Carved limestone, 33.7 x 36.8 x 31.8 cm (13 1/4 x 14 1/2 x 12 1/2 in.)
This Italian sculpture of a basket of fruit is carved out of limestone. It depicts various fruits and foliage piled in a woven basket. The basket is very detailed, with each strand of the woven design visible and distinct. The fruits lack much detail with just leaves and vague shapes being discernable.
Courtyard
Commentary
This basket of fruit was carved out of limestone, likely in the 19th century. The sculptor used traditional tools, such as chisels, drills, rasps and files to create bunches of grapes, pomegranates, apples, and pears interspersed with foliage.
Isabella Stewart Gardner was an avid horticulturalist and displayed it in the Museum’s courtyard along with other sculptures to evoke an ancient Roman garden.