Still Life with a plate of cherries, plums, a pitcher and cheese

Jun 19

The finished painting before varnishing. When the oil film dries, a mastic or copal spirit varnish will be applied.

The canvas was tacked to a pine strainer featuring shouldered half-lap joins modeled after a pre-made pine strainer used by Melendez. This strainer was made by my dad, Paul Avery.

The thread count of the coarse linen canvas matches that of the original painting.

The canvas was sized with two applications of animal glue and sanded in between.

Pictured: making rabbit skin/parchment glue.

All of the pigments and fillers identified in the Prado's technical study were either used out of a tube or mulled by hand. Pictured: yellow lake pigment mulled in walnut oil.

After applying a ground layer composed of red ochre, carbon black, quartz, and calcite bound in linseed oil, an underdrawing was done in white chalk.

Shadows were put in first, beginning with a lean, transparent paint.

Highlights were added next in a more opaque paint.

Some elements were painted with a full underpainting while others were not, depending on the amount of red ground meant to show through the paint.

The paint was built up in solid colors, then glazes, becoming increasingly fat as the painting progressed.

Still Life with a plate of cherries, plums, a pitcher and cheese

Zoe Avery

2024

Oil on linen canvas

47 cm x 35 cm

Completed with the guidance of the Museo del Prado’s technical study of the painting, the National Gallery’s technical studies of Melendez still lifes, and Brian Baade, paintings conservator and associate professor at the University of Delaware during ARTC666 Independent Study.

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