American Modernist Still Life of Avocados

This 12 inch x 16 inch painting depicts a still-life scene of avocados upon a table. The painting features a black-and-white checkered pattern table cloth in the lower two-thirds of the canvas; this creates an optical illusion, giving depth to the otherwise flat surface. Upon the tablecloth, two halves of an avocado are depicted and one presumably full avocado is slightly hidden by the two halves. The avocados are depicted with a naturalistic approach and their texture and color gradients capture their ripeness. The background is painted in muted yellow tones providing a contrast to both the vibrant green of the avocado and the monochromatic checkerboard pattern. The artist paints with visible brush strokes, creating a sense of texture and craftsmanship. The painting is encased by a brown wooden frame.

The piece is attributed to the late artist Jean A. Wasson, as seen in the signature left in the bottom right hand side of the canvas. Jean Wasson was from Texas and was a noted, artist, scholar and writer on shells and botany.