Zurbaran, a painter living in Seville during the blank,
usually depicted religious scenes of saints in adoration of God with a severe
and austere deportment, which may be a reflection on the time in which he lived
and the state of the Church at that point. This painting of still life would
seem unorthodox given his usual style. However, though this painting seems
unconnected with religion and only an essay into the still life, Zurbaran
remains true to his religious devotion by burying a deeper meaning behind these
simple lemons, oranges, and flower. The lemons signify fidelity, the oranges
signify purity and fecundity, and the rose is symbolic of Divine Love.
Tradition has denominated this as a still life in homage of the Blessed Virgin,
which based on the significance of the objects in it and Zurbaran’s devotion to
the Blessed Virgin, would be plausible.
Regardless of the implied significance, this painting is also beautiful due to the
balance and color tint used, enriching the scene, while being ultimately simple
in perspective.
