François-FrédériC Grobon (1815-1902) Still life

Oil on canvas. 70 x 55 cm. Signed lower left.

This sumptuous still life, characteristic of the work of François-Frédéric Grobon, presents an abundance of fruit delicately arranged on a stone entablature.

A classical marble compote brims with velvety peaches, bunches of white and red grapes, plums, and a juicy pear, all surrounded by foliage tinged with autumnal hues. At the base, a striking green melon with bright orange flesh is partially sliced open, revealing its juicy texture. A white cloth with red stripes draped in the lower right corner adds a further touch of tactile realism.

Grobon, a Lyon-born painter trained at the École des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, follows in the tradition of the great still-life and trompe-l'œil masters such as Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin. He is distinguished by his exceptional technical finesse and acute sensitivity to textures. Each fruit is rendered with meticulous care: the rough skin of the melon, the plumpness of the grapes, the translucency of the plums. The marble and drapery are depicted with a virtuoso command of texture and light. The scene is bathed in soft illumination from the left, sculpting the forms and casting a rich chiaroscuro across the composition.

Grobon studied under Bonnefond at the École des Beaux-Arts de Lyon from 1831 to 1836, and later under Victor Orsel. He exhibited in Lyon from 1836 and in Paris from 1842. Around 1863, he settled in Paris, where he painted on porcelain and decorated the chapel of the Oratoire.

Working closely with his brother Eugène Grobon, François-Frédéric developed a style influenced by botanical lithography, in which Eugène excelled. This background is evident in their precise drawing, faithful rendering of textures, and scientific accuracy. Inspired by artists such as Pierre-Joseph Redouté and Antoine Berjon, the Grobon brothers combined science and art, observation and aesthetic refinement, as seen in their lithographs and horticultural illustrations.

This painting perfectly embodies Grobon’s art, where scientific precision serves the poetry of vision. With its balanced composition, masterful light, and striking realism, François-Frédéric Grobon stands as one of the leading still-life painters of 19th-century Lyon, heir to a tradition where meticulous observation meets artistic sensitivity.