Symbolism In Still Life With Apples And A Pomegranate

I had originally planned to meet Sachy, Alvaro, and Victoria at the Getty, however both these plans fell through as we all clearly have very poor organization skills. So on a breezy Sunday Morning I embarked on a solo mission to LACMA. Well not really because my mother was lovely enough to accompany me. When I initially woke up that morning, I was overcome with regret of waiting until the last weekend to get this assignment done. The whole ride there, the clouds threatened rain and my mother threatened to murder Siri for making her endlessly repeat herself. Although, I must say I remember very little about the car ride; I was quite comatose at the time. We arrived at the museum a few minutes after it had opened and I was in desperate need …show more content…
Created in 1865, this oil painting is dominated primarily by the intense black and deep cloudy brown background that creates an ominous and eerie mood through out the painting. While highly contrasting with the shadowy background, the complexion of the fruit is still painted with a kind of dreary and murky color palate that echoes the background and underlying theme of temptation. The fruit, which is heavily shaded, seemingly emerges from an endless darkness and becomes the focal point of the painting and the main key in conveying the didactic message. Apples have many different connotations and symbolism attached to them. When traced back to Adam and eve, the apple comes to symbolize knowledge and the temptation of that which is forbidden. In addition, a pomegranate was often used as a sign of life and rebirth in much of Greek mythology. Ribot paints the pomegranate in his still life as rotten and decaying, suggesting that unnecessary extravagances and temptation represented by the four apples will lead to human down fall and is a reminder of ones mortality. The number “3” also plays an important role in the interpretation of this painting. The numbers “333” in the corner of the painting allude to biblical verses in which the angels come down to warn the people of God’s wrath. This further solidifies Ribot’s warning of falling victim to desire, as over indulgence is not only a dangerous slope, but also a disgrace to God. Anyone who strays from God’s intended path will elicit his vengeance. Furthermore, these numbers also reveal a secondary meaning to the work as they have also been used to represent a balance and unison between the mind, spirit, and body. Much like the equality in