Yummy Food!

by Delaynna Trim, Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art Curator

November is the time to be thankful, especially for food! Many artworks include food.

The Lunch by Ernst Muller

Every time I see Ernst Müller’s Lunch, it makes me hungry! The young man in the painting is still wearing his work apron, but he is so hungry, that he just starts eating! Other than the baguette (a long loaf of French bread), what other foods can you see in his basket?

Some ancient pottery has food painted on it, maybe showing us what would have been served in the vessel. There have even been Roman mosaics discovered that show all types of fish and sea creatures. Scholars think that these mosaics show the type of food that the owner might have eaten.

Sometimes people paint food because the food is everywhere. In the museum’s collection, we have a small painting of an egg, and another painting has bunches of grapes. Other times, artists paint food because they are so unusual. Fr. Gerrer painted breadfruit, mangos, papaya, avocados, and many other exotic fruits and vegetables when he visited San Salvador because he had not seen them before. He wrote later in his autobiography, “There are fruits of many kinds, among which are citrus fruits, luscious custard apples, papaya, sapodilla, coconuts, pineapples, the juicy slippery mango, with a flavor like a pineapple and apricot combined. It takes an expert to eat them for they are tough, slippery, and full of silky fibers. Now it is in your hand, now it is up your sleeve or in your neighbor’s lap, or on the floor. The correct way to eat them is

to roll up your sleeves, stand over a bathtub, and go to it. You are considered to be expert, when you can lick the juice from the elbow to the wrist. Many of these fruits were exported.”

Fr. Gerrer's artwork, top left to bottom right: Cherimaya, Breadfruit, Avocado & Exotic Fruit

In another work, the artist Antowine Warrior illustrates the making of frybread on an open fire. Many Native tribes make variations of frybread. The tradition of frybread has been around for over 150 years. Frybread is typically made out of white flour mixed with water, baking powder or yeast and a sprinkle of salt, which is then deep-fried in oil or lard.

What is the most exotic or unusual food you have eaten? What food are you most thankful for?

Art Project: Draw your favorite food

Supplies: paper, pencil, crayons, or paint

Want to get more creative? Draw and cut out a plate, then draw and cut out some of your favorite food, now place them on your plate. You have now created a collage.

Want more food-related art projects? Check out www.mgmoa.org/art-projects for more fun ideas.