Not weird to me. It is a lovely still life in a beautiful frame. As long as the size works for you over your sofa it will look great in whatever room it is hung.

Gorgeous picture, but IMO, I dont think it should go in a living room over the sofa.

Yes -- artwork is so personal -- if you like it -- then it will look great above the sofa! :)

Your artwork "speaks" of Hospitality" (wine and fruit -- sounds good to me!) to me ... so it belongs in a place that shows your own "Welcome" to your guests! :)

I LOVE still life paintings -- my personal fav artist is the French genius Chardin. Just look at the gorgeous colors in his artworks! (I have included a link to his artworks at art.com for anyone interested ......)

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Here is a link that might be useful: art.com -- Jean-Baptiste Chardin artworks

I'm thinking that particular painting would look more appropriate over a chest, table, or other piece, as you've shown, rather than a sofa. I think using it in the lr could work nicely, as Teacats mentioned, but I'd probably not place it over the sofa.

I don't know why the subject of a painting has to relate to the furniture. If you like it, why not over the sofa?

haley comet-

It's a beautiful painting, and I think it would look fine in a LR over a sofa, and I don't think there are any "rules" about what kind of paintings can go in a room. On the walls of our LR we have paintings of a horse and rider, fruit, people celebrating, a fox hunt and butterflies, as well as art created by mr. sandyponder and YT as children, temple etchings, a select few photos and a clock that bit the dust, but whose shape I liked, so I covered it with family pics. It's a crazy quilt, but we like it, so if you like the pic, why not put it over your sofa?

sandyponder

I have often wondered if you repainted your dining room, did you?

If it were me I would hang the picture of the trees that you found at a yard sale. You hung it in your dining room. If I could I would steal it when you were not looking!

But who decides what is weird or not. If you like it and it fits in the space, go for it.

I hope you show pictures.
Happy Holidays to you

I think it depends on how important it is to YOU whether to follow traditional guidelines of decorating which say fruit pictures belong in the dining room. I think it's a lovely picture that would enhance any room in your home.

Hang it wherever it makes you happy! Who comes up with these "rules" about matching art to furniture or rugs?

Your fruit artwork is beautiful, as is your wall color and wainscoting. Put it where you want it! And, your opening straight line about "hanging a picture of a fruit" gave me a big giggle, thinking perhaps you were talking about a friend or relative.

Thanks everyone I am going to give it a shot and see how it looks. Your answers clarified things as I sorta always pictures a food type photo strictly for the eating area of the home.

Thats great I will give it a try and see if it looks good.

Readerlearner - you have the most amazing memory!! I did actually repaint my dining room - I mixed the remaining orange paint I had with some other left over colors and I ended up with a beautiful softer orange much like "FIRENZE" by BM. I will take pictures. Thanks also you know I never thought of placing my 'tree art' photo (again your memory is amazing! you are remembering what I own better then me! thanks). I just painted my LR Decatur Buff and that picture just might really work! I will try that one too.

Thanks everyone for opening my eyes to the fact that art goes where the owner loves it to be!

Haley

Another consideration, when selecting something for a prominent location like over the sofa, is that art work expresses something about you to guests, as well as for your own personal enjoyment. With the area over the sofa usually being one of the focal points in a room, choosing something that you love and that is meaningful to you will maximize both that visually important area and the artwork that you select.

"Thanks everyone for opening my eyes to the fact that art goes where the owner loves it to be!"

Absolutely!

Squirrelheaven- I always read your posts and get so much out of them, so don't this as negative. I was just wondering why you felt this particular painting was not quite appropriate over a sofa and belonged over a table or chest? I know the sofa is the main focal point of the room, but was just wondering why you wouldn't find the sofa the place of choice to hang it.

Well, if it looks great over the sofa, or the homeowner loves it there, then that's a good spot for it. I just think that the subject matter, or even something about this painting's composition, would feel better over a sideboard type of piece or table. And, like I was saying in my last post, the spot over the sofa is often a prominent location, so it's a great spot for a piece that is particularly meaningful to you and makes a real statement in the room or sets the tone.

It's really not controversial! Just my opinion and how I feel looking at the piece. If there's a decorating rule *not to put still lifes of fruit above a sofa, I'm not aware of it. Though, it would not seem to be a traditional spot for it, as someone else mentioned.

She asked.

I always read your posts and get so much out of them

And thanks, Patty ; ) I do try to make a contribution to the board.

"Only if it's a portrait of Rip Taylor"
Casey

I'm going to have to agree with squirrelheaven. While it's a lovely print, I feel as though 'food' art does belong either in the dining room or kitchen.

I feel as though 'food' art does belong either in the dining room or kitchen.

Does that mean plates have no place in the bedroom or bath? What about nudes? Where are they ok? Personal family photos/paintings?

natal, I was just expressing my opinion, that's all. I certainly don't profess to make the rules.

I have a Bunny Fetish....and admittedly, I'm a Bunny Snob; not just any Bunny pic or figurine will do.

I have Bunnies in my kitchen.

I'd be rich if I got a dime for every person over the years that has said something like:
"Bunnies belong in the garden, NOT the kitchen".

Um...yea. OK. Fine.
But MY Bunnies belong wherever I place them (and they've told me they are happy where they are at. *smile* )

You Love it...place it where you love it and love it where it's placed.

hang it anywhere you want, but just hang it low. It warms a place up to hang paintings low so they don't look like it is a museum. Good luck on Christmas and have a merry one!

I too posted earlier about my that the picture should not go above the sofa. OP's question was does it look weird not whether there was a rule about hanging a fruit picture above a sofa. IMO it looks more natural to have fruit or vegetable paintings in a kitchen or dining room. Having said that, yes she should hang it where ever she likes, it is her home. The posters who said it would look weird are only expressing an opinion.

Not weird, but not necessarily my favorite place, above the sofa, fruit meets sitting area, but I'm the type of person who has all these "rules" in my head and I abide by them, it's my nature , lol.... I would not put plates in a bathroom either. Yup, we all have different opinions.

Merry December to all !!

I don't see anything wrong with hanging this over a sofa, but sometimes it is a nice trick to complement a still life with accessories nearby that relate to the objects in the composition. (That is, the same type of object, or similar shapes or colors.) That's not usually feasible when the painting is over the sofa, at least not as readily as when the painting is over a chest, console table, buffet, or whatever.

But I see no reason to confine paintings of fruit to the dining room, any more than to confine paintings of flowers to the garden room.

I can think of at least one well-known still life, of food, that I wouldn't like to have in my dining room, because it includes a dead rabbit.

I'd put any of these still lifes in my living room. All I need is a few million $$$$$$.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cezanne still life

LOL, suero. I agree. I don't think anyone who owns a Cezanne, many of the Vermeer still lifes, or other masters who have painted fruit or wine/milk jugs think of them as 'food pictures' that belong in a 'food room'. I'd probably sell my soul to own just one and it would be in my living room with a light on it. (-:

Even a Cezanne still life of fruit doesn't belong over a sofa!

You know what they say ... opinions are a dime a dozen ... and most aren't even worth that. Do what makes you happy!!!

With so many other art subjects to choose from, I wouldn't place a "food painting" in a LR. My personal taste would have it in a DR or kitchen area.
To answer the original question....Yes, I would find it a bit strange to see this painting in a living room, but it's your house and your rules and if you like it there then by all means put it there.

PS. I wouldn't put food artwork or plates in a bathroom, either.

I just had an epiphany....yup. I was offered the chance to go through an enormous warehouse full of items used by decorators to stage model homes. (long story made short) I came home with 23 framed & matted prints, a lamp,7 pillows, a planter, a soap dish...etc! I took down ALL my art, originals, stuff I'd brought home from trips....ALL of it. Hung all of these gorgeous designer prints, some on canvas....some were "huge" and I found that given "free" stuff I would NOT choose to keep what I already had. :0) My home has NEVER LOOKED BETTER!!!!! Sooooooooooooo.......if I could have someone come over and replace everything for free.....I would make different choices than to just use what I had. :0) If I had a framed still art of fruit I'd hang it.....would it look better if I spent $1000 and purchased something else......????? :0)

I guess I should rethink the plates in my bathroom! I never gave it a thought that it was odd. They're Johnson Bros plates with bridges, castles, and countryside pictures. Maybe our friends are thinking it's weird! Just a fussy guest bathroom with a silver mirror--I thought they looked good.

How 'bout a "Matisse" still life with fruit over a sofa? If it's a mistake, I've now made it twice! ;-)

Ummmmmmmmmmmm.....no comment.

Amy, for some unknown reason I think your artwork worked in your previous home. Perhaps it's the framing?

And maybe because in your current home you have a dining table just in front of your sofa.

The point is, your DH's Matisse seems to look good wherever you hang it, and I'm not sure why I feel differently about the OP's artwork.

I think because amy's print is more 'abstract' than the op's, that may be why it works better.

Well, that's like, um, comparing apples to oranges ; )

I love fruit paintings in the kitchen and dining room but it is your home and if you like the look that is what matters the most. I love the painting.

Well, Christmas eve has come and gone. What did you decide?

Not only do I think it not weird, I have an oil paint copy of this over my fireplace, and I love it.

Would you put it over your sofa?

It's too small for the wall over my sofa. If it were the original, I would, though.

Mona, I also think it is the context of the whole room...Matisse's room, that is.

The OP's painting is very much just about what's on the table. To me, that speaks more to being happiest over the sideboard. Suero's still life with fruit has a little more going on and might work in a wider variety of places, a library perhaps? Even though art should never be bound by rules, IMO, if I owned the OP's painting, I'd be hard pressed to put it anywhere but the dining room actually.

But, that's just me. Everyone can do what makes them happy when it comes to art. Buy what you like. hang it where you like. K9arleen, I kinda hope you're kidding through all this. Hard to tell w/out the benefit of tone of voice, etc. :-)

Someone mentioned nudes earlier. That has been an ongoing challenge for us, as my husband takes figure study classes and has also done some "copies" like the Matisse. We have a very sensuous Picasso (early years) that I used to take down from public view when my daughter had parties. You could see her straight from the pool.

When we were married in our first home, we decided on a one-nude-per-room rule! Not that we had that many, but there were two in the large LR at the time and we figured it would be better for the aunties if they could just turn a head for some relief! ;-)

We also debated about the two girls on the beach in the pic above (red sofa) when we put the house up for sale. We decided to leave it, as it was small and more subtle. No one said a word. And the house did sell to an artist who loves France and gardening and cooking. Just like me! :-)

Wondering. For those who *Don't think about a piece of art itself when they place it (or mix other things into a space) -- is where it fits, or its size, the only thing that's considered?

I think that if the size of the picture is appropriate for the space and the colors in it work well with all the other colors in the room, that picture will look lovely regardless of it's subject matter. Granted, maybe some of us don't want fruit in a living room and others of us don't care. That's not the part that matters really because in the end it's scale and color that the eye catches first and can throw off the balance in a space.

Hi Everyone,
Wow this thread has really taken off - thanks for everyone for posting their opinions on my situation!

I will say I opted agnaist putting it above my sofa - I did try it and something about it just didn't 'jive' with the rest of the room. Funny enough I put it back in my diningroom (as the original photo I posted). I had taken it down in the diningroom to make place for a piece of art I purchased at an estate sale but realized that the estate sale piece worked beautifully in my livingroom.

I will be increasing the spacing between the 3 pieces but just haven't had the time just yet. (the shading and photo angle actually makes them look closer then they are).

That's a pretty still life, too!
Your tree is just beautiful, BTW! ;)

Good choice!

I'm curious as to how people feel about living room/family room furniture upholstered in fruit prints? I've seen chairs/couches covered in beautiful fruit prints, yet to me they just seem out of place. Just curious about the opinions of others on this since it is closely related to fruit art and where it is appropriate.