Grapes, figs, pomegranate and peaches on a pillar – Maximilian Pfeiler, first quarter of the 18th century

Maximilian Pfeiler is a German artist, documented in Rome from 1694 to 1721; in the Capitoline city he was a pupil and follower of Christian Berentz. He specialized in the creation of still lifes, refined visually balanced compositions, consisting of fruit and metal plates in the typically late Baroque fashion. The light rendering, certainly derived from the art of Northern Europe, is enhanced by the representation of his compositions en plein air. This feature is frequently found in his pictorial corpus, influenced by the example of Franz Werner Tamm, very significant in the location of the elements on the outside.

Our painting, documented by Bocchi in his publication, is characterized by a more earthy palette used to make the second floor, which contrasts with the brighter one used for the still life. Fruit is represented with a typically Nordic lenticular attention, as is the luministic rendering. The fruits in the foreground take on particular prominence, thanks to the quick white brushstrokes used as points of light, which bring out the roundness of the grapes and figs.