Dating to 1844 and representative of the continental school of still life painting of the time, this beautiful painting was executed by the Belgian artist Joseph Panneel (1807-1848). It depicts, with wonderfully bright and rich colours, a basket overflowing with flowers and fruit, set near the edge of a simple table-top, against a dark green-grey background.
The surviving artworks by Panneel all date to the latter years of his life and career, and are equally intricate and detailed still-lives of flowers and fruit. Despite the wonderful realism of the objects in frame, he still managed to retain a distinctive stylised quality to his work, that gives a painting, such as this, an extra allure and charm. It is signed and dated 'Jh Panneel, 1844,' to the lower right.