Physalis I

Three small physalis fruits gather on a bare surface in this glowing still life by Raquel Alvarez Sardina. Sometimes called cape gooseberries or golden berries, these little fruits come wrapped in papery husks that dry into thin, see-through shells. Sardina paints them with real care, letting two of the orange berries poke out from their loosened casings while the rest stay hidden inside their leafy wrappings. Against the dark background, the husks seem to shine like tiny paper lanterns.

Painted in 2010, the work sits comfortably in the realist tradition that runs all the way back to the old masters and their love of quiet domestic subjects. The warm browns and golds, along with the soft handling of light, give it a peaceful and modest mood. Sardina found something worth studying in an object most of us would toss in a fruit bowl and forget, and that gentle attention is really the heart of the piece. Simple as the subject is, there is genuine tenderness in how these humble berries are treated.