The campaignsSupport the Louvre | Become a Patron! | The campaigns | Basket of Strawberries

In the summer of 1761, Jean Siméon Chardin exhibited in the Salon Carré of the Musée du Louvre a composition centred on a basket of strawberries. It was one of the last still lifes by the artist, then at the height of a brilliant career which had earned him a reputation throughout Europe and prestigious royal commissions.

Superbly spare and structured, the Basket of Strawberries stands apart from the ‘beautiful disorder’ of Chardin’s other paintings of the period. The dense but transparent volume of the glass of water counterbalances the delicate pile of berries. The artist was visibly inspired by the challenge of representing this peculiar, intensely red pyramid as both a compact mass and a fragile edifice composed of a multitude of slightly conical, unstable little elements.

From the mid-19th century, the painting was part of the collection held by the descendants of Eudoxe Marcille (1814–1890), who was a Chardin devotee through and through. Regularly displayed in exhibitions throughout the 20th century, this painting became one of Chardin’s most iconic works, and a landmark in the history of Western still lifes besides.

In 2024, Jean Siméon Chardin’s Basket of Strawberries joined the Louvre collections thanks to the historic involvement of 10,000 donors.

We extend our warmest thanks to all the donors who helped raise the €1,600,000 necessary for acquisition of this masterpiece. Considered the quintessential painting by Jean Siméon Chardin, this iconic work completes the world’s greatest ensemble of paintings by the master of the still life.

The Musée du Louvre also extends its thanks to LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton for its exceptional sponsorship as well as the Société des Amis du Louvre, the Laplace architecture firm and the Laboratoires Septodont for their support.