Raphaelle Peale was considered to be the U.S.’s first professional still-life painter. He was son of Charles Willson Peale, brother to Rembrandt and Rubens, nephew of James Peale, and his cousins were Anna Claypoole, Margaretta Peale, and Sarah Peale.
But enough about family. I find such a lush, rich moodiness in Raphaelle’s work, and especially in his Strawberries and Cream. More about his paintings and life here.
More of my ekphrastic poetry here. The form is a landay. There is another Raphaelle Peale strawberries painting, and my poem, here.
Strawberries and Cream
you fed me strawberries and whipped cream
your mouth on mine as a pagan fertility rite
you brought me perfume of strawberry
touched it like myrrh to the cream of my wrist and my nape
you rubbed my back with strawberry oil
my pregnancy in the bath like a scoop of ice cream
ยฉelsp 2026
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