Apples, peaches, oranges, melons, pomegranates, plums, cherries, figs, grapes, pears, a water melon and other fruit on a hillside with monkeys, a parrot and a jay, a villa and a formal garden beyond

Jan van Kessel I was trained by his uncle Jan Brueghel II, whose influence is evident in the present picture and the following lot in their clarity and great detail. However, the monkey nibbling fruit is reminiscent of the singeries painted by David Teniers II, who was married to Brueghel's daughter Anna, van Kessel's cousin. This and the following lot recall Jan van Kessel's masterpieces, also on copper, in the Doria Pamphilj Collection, Rome.

We are grateful to Mr. Fred Meijer for confirming the attribution.