Alice Rieder Wilkerson — Still Life with Fruit and Camellias

Alice Rieder Wilkerson — Still Life with Fruit and Camellias

Date: 
Medium: Oil
Dimensions: 24 x 20 in.
Signature: 

This refined still life reveals Alice Charlotte Rieder’s classical training and her instinct for balance and atmosphere. Arranged on a dark tabletop, a woven basket of pears and apples anchors the composition, while a black vase of soft pink and red camellias brings a floral counterbalance to the weight of the fruit. In the foreground, a peeled orange, rendered with warm translucence, sits beside a delicate teacup and saucer on a lacquered red tray—an elegant nod to European domestic still-life traditions.

The closed book at right adds a quiet narrative presence, suggesting contemplation, study, or a moment paused. With controlled brushwork, subtle lighting, and a muted palette that allows the fruits and flowers to glow, this painting demonstrates Alice’s ability to elevate everyday objects into a scene of harmony and introspection.