In this evocative still life, the English-born American artist William Rickarby Miller meticulously rendered four apples on a crisp white tablecloth, carefully arranging the shapes to build a pyramidal form on the canvas. The depicted objects appear to extend beyond the edge of a tablecloth into the viewer’s space, which increases a sense of the three-dimensionality and realism of the scene.

Miller detailed each fruit down to its snapped stems, torn leaves, and brown mottling. Presenting the apples in every stage from freshness to decay, Miller’s portrayal prompts the viewer to think about the cycles of life and death. The darkened leaves and stems contrast with the round, bright apples, which seem even more tempting and delicious by comparison.