One senses in the fruit and flowers depicted in the Hermitage still life the exultant joy of earthly existence. They glow with generous sensual colour and seem to have come together by chance, although in reality the composition would have been very carefully arranged. However, this tremendous hymn to life conceals within it reminders of the fleeting nature of earthly existence, the vanity of temporal passions and desires. Many items here symbolize the seasons of the year: the flowers - spring, the ears of grain and the fruit - summer, the grapes and vegetables - autumn, the lemons - winter. Jan Davidsz de Heem, who worked in Holland and Flanders, reflected in the still life the spirit of the once-united Low Countries whose art was characterized by the painters' ability to appreciate and extol the beauty of the real world. This painting came into the Hermitage between 1763 and 1774.