The standard wicker basket of the Roman pomarius (fruit seller) - round, mid-depth, and filled to the brim with the morning's produce. Apples, pears, plums, figs, and grapes came in baskets exactly like this one from suburban orchards into the macellum at dawn. Period: Roman antiquity, 1st c. BCE - 3rd c. CE.
This piece depicts a round wicker basket loaded with mixed fruit - apples and pears stacked in a small pyramid, with figs and grapes filling the gaps. A practical detail prop for any market or kitchen scene.
Painting tips
- Basket: pale tan with sepia wash for weave detail.
- Apples: red and yellow-green base, single highlight.
- Pears: pale yellow-green with brown wash near the stem.
- Figs: deep purple-brown.
- Grapes: vary purple and pale green.
Historical sources & further reading
- Pompeii: marketplace and household fruit finds
- Pliny the Elder, Natural History Book 15
⚠ Small parts. Not suitable for children under 14.





