Italian, Venice
Basket of Fruit, 19th century
Carved limestone , 33.7 x 36.8 x 31.8 cm (13 1/4 x 14 1/2 x 12 1/2 in.)
General admission for children 17 years and under is always free
Courtyard
Commentary
This basket of fruit was carved out of limestone, likely in the 19th century. The sculptor used traditional tools, such as chisels, drills, rasps and files to create bunches of grapes, pomegranates, apples, and pears interspersed with foliage. Isabella Stewart Gardner was an avid horticulturalist and displayed it in the Museum’s courtyard along with other sculptures to evoke an ancient Roman garden.