Neapolitan master Neapolitan master dated 1707, monogrammed AB, Two Putti with a Basket of Fruit

Set beneath the broad foliage of a fig tree, this rich allegorical composition centers around two cherubic putti, embodying the spirit of abundance and nature’s generosity. One putto reclines sensuously amid a lavish arrangement of fruits — prominently melons, grapes, pomegranates, and plums — his body partially draped in soft fabric, crowned with a wreath of vine leaves. Above him, a second winged putto floats downward, tenderly offering a ripe fig plucked from the tree overhead.


The painting teems with sumptuous detail: dewy grapes spill across the foreground, translucent and glowing, while pomegranate seeds burst from their rinds in vibrant red. The use of warm, earthy tones combined with dynamic Baroque movement imbues the scene with vitality and sensual richness. The abundance of fruit, combined with the innocence of the putti, visually

encapsulates the classical concept of Abundantia, or the personification of prosperity and harvest.


Executed in 1706, this work exemplifies the Neapolitan Baroque tradition, with its emphasis on naturalism, opulence, and theatrical composition. Monogrammed: “AB” and dated 1706 at center. Oil on canvas , 127 x 95 cm