Oriental still life with fruit and a teapot by Silva Wischeropp

This lavishly arranged fruit still life was photographed with a NIKON D70 (lens: SIGMA 18.0–50.0 mm f/2.8) on 15 September 2007.

The particular appeal of my still life featuring fruit with an oriental touch lies in the fusion of classical European pictorial tradition and the sensual mysticism of the Orient.
This niche in art history – strongly influenced by 19th-century Orientalism and the trade relations of the Baroque period – fascinates through an interplay of lavish symbolism, intense colour and exotic materials.

Exotic fruits:
Instead of local apples or pears, figs, star fruit, oranges and dark grapes dominate.

The appetising fruit rests in hand-hammered copper bowls, ornate silver plates or on patterned silk and damask fabrics.
The dark, blue grapes hang from an oriental teapot, decorated with white pearls.

The play of light (chiaroscuro):
A deep, warm light refracts on the metallic surfaces, making the skin of the fruit glow almost from within.
Dark, shadowy backgrounds heighten the sense of intimacy and mystery.

Sensuality rather than transience:

Whilst the classic European vanitas still life often evokes death, the Oriental variant celebrates pure pleasure, the richness of the senses and the celebration of life.