Flowers and Fruit in a Chinese Bowl

Long assumed to be by Francisco de Zurbarán, the leading painter in Seville, Spain, this work is now considered to be by his son, Juan de Zurbarán, who specialized in exquisitely painted still lifes during his short career. The precise, sensuous application of paint and dramatic lighting are typical of Juan, whose style can be identified through only a few signed paintings. The expensive imported Chinese porcelain bowl would have appealed to the wealthy clientele who purchased his refined yet exuberant compositions.