Oranges in Tissue Paper
Which foods do you treasure?
A study of contrasts, this painting displays multiple textures: crinkly paper, smooth wood, rough peels, and juicy orange fruit. The passage of time is suggested by the various stages in which the oranges lie; wrapped and unwrapped, peeled and unpeeled, a virtual timeline of the fruit’s consumption. They are also depicted like precious objects, which were wrapped and shipped to the East Coast from the citrus groves in California.
\ Artist
William Joseph McCloskey
Born in Philadelphia, William Joseph McCloskey and his wife, Alberta, brought their East Coast artistic training to Los Angeles, where they opened a studio in Child's Grand Opera House. Today, McCloskey is best remembered for his paintings of citrus fruits, which he started after he established his reputation as an accomplished portrait painter; we might wonder if, in fact, these pictures are less still lifes than “portraits” of bright, ripe oranges.
\ About
Oil on canvas
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd