Still Life with Apples, Cabbage, Parsnip and Lettuce

Giovanni Battista Recco’s distinctive style was influential in the development of the school of Neapolitan still life painting. Though little is known of Recco’s life, he may well have visited Spain early in his career, as he exhibits many similarities with Spanish painters of the time (so much so that some of his paintings have in the past been mistakenly attributed to the young Velásquez). The strong light source highlights the form and texture of the still life, creating a sense of both ripeness and decay.