For the creation of these two plates I took inspiration from a gouache of XVII-century painter Giovanna Garzoni. Just in that period, still-life painting became a very popular genre. Earlier painting was affected by an anthropocentric philosophical conception, whereby non-human subjects (whether they may be animals, plants or mere things) appeared only on the margins of the paintings.

The decline of this ideology depended on various factors such as scientific discoveries, the secularization of society and the triumph of the bourgeoisie. The latter wanted to show its opulence through the display of its goods. In this context we should see the flourishing of paintings that showed very realistic, detailed and luxuriant still lifes, such as to arouse in the spectator the desire to grab the fruits to eat them. Giovanna Garzoni was one of the main interpreters of this trend.

Of her still lifes I love, above all, the fact that they are never stereotyped, but every little imperfection of the flowers and fruits is painted in detail. It’s the dents, the small tears, the crumpled leaves and petals that make a vase of flowers or a fruit basket come alive and real.

This box also draws inspiration from a gouache by the Ascoli painter and miniaturist Giovanna Garzoni. I imagine with how much love this painter observed her subjects to reproduce them in every detail onto the canvas. Of this painting I also love the chromatic vivacity given by the combination of the plums’ warm colors and the cold tones of the leaves and flowers of the bindweed.