Edwin Deakin
Edwin Deakin was born in Sheffield, England, and at age 12 apprenticed in lacquering furniture; this would be his only formal art training. He eventually moved to San Francisco and opened a studio. Active with the San Francisco Art Association, he befriended many artists and made numerous painting trips throughout California, successfully exhibiting and selling paintings based on his extensive travel sketches.
What associations do grapes bring to your mind?
A self-taught master of the still life, Deakin combined in this painting his fascination for the light effects on the translucent red grapes and the Gothic-style carved stone arch that frames the fruit. In addition to its obvious visual appeal, the Flame Tokay table grape, a popular varietal in the late 19th century, was found most commonly in the warmer regions of California; the painting may have been meant as a tribute to the artist’s adopted state.
Gift of Charles Hirsch