(Düsseldorf 1849–1930)
Still Life with Two Walnuts, Plums, Grapes, a Peach on a Branch and a Fly, signed, dated Emilie Preyer 1871, oil on canvas, 22 x 27 cm, framed

Provenance:
(Probably) Collection of Robert (1898–1972) and Bertha Tilly (born in 1899), New York;
Their Sale, New York, 1949;
Sale, Sotheby’s New York, 28 October 1986, lot 248;
Sale, Beijers Auktioner, Stockholm, 7 November 1989, lot 257;
Sale, Sotheby’s, New York, 20 February 1992, lot 12;
Private Collection, Austria.

Catalogued and illustrated in:
Siegfried Weiß, Hans Paffrath (ed.), Johann Wilhelm (1803–1889) und Emilie (1849–1930) Preyer, Düsseldorf 2009, p. 209, no. 8.

Emilie Preyer's still lifes are unparalleled in their naturalism. With a mastery reminiscent of the Old Masters, the Düsseldorf artist brings fruit, leaves, and nuts to life with such vivid realism that they appear freshly picked. Her rich, vibrant colours continue to captivate viewers to this day. Preyer avoids elaborate interiors, opting for neutral backgrounds that allow her subjects—bathed in soft light—to take centre stage. A hallmark of her work is the inclusion of delicate details such as wasps, flies, and shimmering droplets, evoking the freshness of the fruit.
Born into a family of painters in 1849, Preyer was taught by her father, Johann Wilhelm Preyer, a celebrated still-life artist. Denied formal education due to her gender, she pursued private lessons at the Düsseldorf Academy. By the age of 16, she had completed her first oil painting, and just three years later, she was already an established artist, regularly exhibiting at prominent galleries like Bismeyer & Kraus and Eduard Schultes. Over the course of her career, she produced around 250 paintings, which found admirers around the world. Despite the rise of new artistic movements, Preyer remained committed to her classical style, living quietly in her family home in Düsseldorf.
Today, her works are once again receiving the recognition they deserve, celebrated for their exquisite technique and enduring allure.