The next time you pick up a slice of watermelon or an ear of corn, consider that these well-known vegetables and fruits were not always the same as they are today.

GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are a hot topic these days, but humanity has been genetically modifying our favorite foods for thousands of years.
Genetic modification is the introduction of foreign genes into the body to give plants desired qualities (such as insect resistance), while selective cultivation is a time-consuming process in which farmers gradually select and grow plants with the same desired qualities.
Surprisingly, the wild ancestors of modern cultivated plants looked completely different before people began to grow them.

wild watermelon

In the picture Giovanni Stanchi, dated approximately between 1645 and 1672, depicts a watermelon quite different from the modern watermelon. On the cross section, it can be seen that the watermelon has a very thick rind and a small amount of pulp with voids. One would assume that it is immature or grown in conditions of poor watering, but black pits indicate otherwise.

modern watermelon

Over time, people learned to grow watermelons with red, juicy flesh, like the one shown in the picture.

wild banana

The first bananas began to grow from seven to ten thousand years ago in the territory of modern Papua New Guinea and in South-East Asia. Modern bananas are descended from two wild species, Musa acuminate and Musa balbisiana, whose fruits had large, hard pits.

modern banana

As a result of crossbreeding, a modern banana was obtained - pleasant in taste, convenient in shape, and with an easily removable peel. Compared to its predecessors, the fruit has almost invisible seeds, better taste and a lot of nutrients.

wild eggplant

The ancestors of modern eggplants had great variation in shape and color. They could be white, blue, purple and yellow - like the ones in the photo. In the place where the fruit is attached to the branch, there were protective spikes.

modern eggplant

With the help of selective cultivation, humanity got rid of the thorns and got a large, oblong purple vegetable that you will find in most grocery stores.

However, in the Middle East - for example, in Egypt - even today round eggplants are grown with pleasure.

wild carrot

The first carrots began to be grown in the 10th century in Persia and Asia Minor. It is believed that the thin, branching rhizomes had a white-violet hue - as in the photo, but gradually they lost their purple pigment and acquired a yellow color.

modern carrot

As a result of cultivation, thin white two-year-old roots turned into large juicy orange fruits, harvested every autumn.

wild corn

Perhaps the most striking example of selective farming is North American sweet corn, which is ancestral to the barely edible teosinte plant. The first corn was grown in the seventh millennium BC, and it tasted like dried potatoes.

modern corn

Today's corn is a thousand times larger than its ancestor and much easier to grow and clean. It contains 6.6% sugar, compared to 1.9% in the original corn. The main changes took place in the 15th century, when European settlers began to cultivate the culture.

modern peach
The first peaches were small, cherry-like fruits, about 25 mm in size, a third of which was occupied by a stone. They had a waxy skin and an earthy, slightly salty taste reminiscent of lentils. The first cultivation of peaches was taken up by the ancient Chinese about four thousand years ago.

Thanks to thousands of years of hard work, we have obtained a modern peach up to 10 cm in size, in which the stone occupies only 10%. It is 64 times larger than its ancestor, one-third juicier and four percent sweeter.

Machine tools Giovanni(1608 - 1675) Italian still life painter and decorator.

Machine tools was born in Rome in 1608 in a family of artists. In the municipal archive of Rome there are mentions of three artists with the surname Stanchi, all of whom lived in 1656 on Strada Paolina: Giovanni (1608 - after 1675), Niccolò (about 1623-1690) and Angelo (1626 - after 1675). All three brothers were quite prolific artists, but all accounts and contracts were signed in the name of Giovanni - probably, as an older brother, he was responsible for the finances of the family artel. Therefore, the definition of which of the brothers belongs to the authorship of a particular picture has always presented certain difficulties.

Giovanni Stanchi mentioned for the first time in 1634, in the register of the guild of artists of St. Luke. Membership in the guild was paid and allowed the artist to make acquaintances and receive orders from wealthy families. In 1638 Machine tools painted a picture for the Barberini family, which depicted the coat of arms of the family entwined with flowers. Many wealthy Roman families commissioned paintings Machine tools. In collaboration with the painters specialized in painting Bacciccio and Maratti, as well as in collaboration with Mario Nuzzi, who, like Stanchi, was a specialist in flower still life, Machine tools receives rich orders. Thus, an invoice dated 1670 for the Colonna family mentions Giovanni Stanchi and Nuzzi as responsible for the still lifes that adorn the famous mirror in the Palazzo Colonna.

In 1660 Machine tools commissioned by Cardinal Flavio Chigi, he decorated his gallery with flower and fruit still lifes. Cardinal Chigi remained his main customer until 1673. Commissioned by Cardinal Benedetto Pamphili Machine tools painted the hulls with still lifes musical instruments. In 1675 Machine tools worked with Ciro Ferri decorating the mirrors at the Palazzo Borghese. Like Mario Nuzzi, Stanki also worked as a theater decorator. Most of Stanchi's surviving paintings are in Rome. The Pallavicini Gallery holds two paintings, and the Capitoline Museums hold two over-door paintings that previously belonged to the Sacchetti family collection. Flower garlands by Stanca adorn the lunettes in the Palazzo Colonna. Commissioned by Vittoria della Rovere (previously 1686), two flower garlands are now in Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Pitti.

antique painting is part of the world historical and cultural heritage. For fans of antiques, paintings from our collection will be a great addition to the interior and collection. Presented to your attention oil painting, pastels, as well as engravings and lithographs by recognized masters.

In our gallery you can buy antique paintings of both European and Russian schools of painting. The gallery's collection contains rare panels, ancient bas-reliefs, as well as antique engravings.

In our antique gallery you can buy works by artists such as , , , , , , , and many others.

Antique paintings in the gallery collection

The collection of our gallery presents a classic example of French genre painting mid-eighteenth century by Jacques de Lajou - painting "Bathing Sultana".

The works of Jacques de Lajoux retained a close connection with the tradition of the Italian and French Baroque and were practically not affected by the academic Classicism XVIII century.

His work allows us to trace the impact of the pictorial heritage of the so-called Watteau school on the nature of the works created by French masters in the second quarter of the 18th century. Despite some similarity between the manners of Jacques de Lajoux and Francois Boucher, he retained an individual approach to images and dissimilarity to the frivolous manner, excessive effeminacy and sweetness of minor Rococo masters. His paintings are characterized by a sense of ephemerality, subtle poeticization, eloquent pauses and half hints.

An important sign of the aesthetics of the gallant age in painting is some understatement, a game, giving the viewer the opportunity to guess and think out the plot of what is happening.

If you look closely at the picture, then first of all your eyes fall on the luxurious powder-colored drapery crowning the laconic rocaille architectural element, then glides over a female figure in the pose of an ancient goddess and stops at two maids who obligingly bow before their mistress, and Venus appears in the guise of a contemporary of the artist. The languid posture of the Sultana is regal and majestic, the flexible lines of her body are full of musical smoothness.

Garlands and bouquets of luxuriant flowers- a real hymn to the full-blooded female beauty. The work of Jacques de Lajou retained an aristocratic character and met the requirements of Rococo art, the main objective who is to please and entertain.

You can buy an antique painting "The Bathing of the Sultana" by Jacques de Lage in our antique gallery, located at Tverskoy Boulevard, 26.

In 1660 Stanchi, commissioned by Cardinal Flavio Chigi, decorated his gallery with still lifes of flowers and fruit. Cardinal Chigi remained his main customer until 1673. By order of Cardinal Benedetto Pamphilj, Stanchi painted the cases of musical instruments with still lifes. In 1675 Stanchi worked with Ciro Ferri, decorating mirrors in the Palazzo Borghese. Like Mario Nuzzi, Stanki also worked as a theater decorator. Most of Stanchi's surviving paintings are in Rome. The Pallavicini Gallery has two paintings, the Capitoline Museums have two over-door paintings that previously belonged to the collection of the Sacchetti family. Flower garlands by Stanca adorn the lunettes in the Palazzo Colonna. Commissioned by Vittoria della Rovere (previously 1686), two flower garlands are now in the Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Pitti.

Still life with watermelons

One of Stanka's paintings, " Still life with watermelons", attracted the attention of historians, biologists and the general public as a clear illustration of the results of selection. The picture shows that in the 17th century the watermelon's rind was much thicker, the tough tissue divided the edible pulp into cells, and the bones were much larger.

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Literature

• Lanfranco Ravelli Stanchi dei fiori, Bergamo 2005. (Italian)
• Alberto Cottino Natura silente. Nuovi studi sulla natura morta italiana, Torino 2007. (Italian)
• M. Gregori, J. G. Prinz von Hohenzollern Stille Welt - Italienische Stilleben: Arcimboldo, Caravaggio, Strozzi, exhibition catalogue, Munich, 2003, p. 48, figs. 5, as "Giovanni (?) Stanchi" (the second). (English)

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An excerpt characterizing Machines, Giovanni

- Oh, what a beast I am, however! - said Rostov, reading the letter.
- And what?
- Oh, what a pig I am, however, that I never wrote and so scared them. Oh, what a pig I am,” he repeated, suddenly blushing. - Well, send Gavrila for wine! Okay, enough! - he said…
In the letters of the relatives, there was also a letter of recommendation to Prince Bagration, which, on the advice of Anna Mikhailovna, the old countess got through her acquaintances and sent to her son, asking him to take it down for its intended purpose and use it.
- That's nonsense! I really need it, - said Rostov, throwing the letter under the table.
- Why did you leave it? Boris asked.
- What a letter of recommendation, the devil is in my letter!
- What the hell is in the letter? - Boris said, raising and reading the inscription. This letter is very important for you.
“I don’t need anything, and I’m not going to be an adjutant to anyone.
- From what? Boris asked.
- Lackey position!
“You are still the same dreamer, I see,” said Boris, shaking his head.
“And you are still a diplomat. Well, that's not the point ... Well, what are you? Rostov asked.
- Yes, as you can see. So far so good; but I confess that I would very much like to become adjutant, and not remain in the front.
- Why?
- Then, that, having already gone through a career military service, we must try to make, if possible, a brilliant career.
- Yes, that's how! - said Rostov, apparently thinking of something else.
He looked intently and inquiringly into the eyes of his friend, apparently in vain looking for a solution to some question.
Old Gavrilo brought wine.
- Shouldn't we send for Alfons Karlych now? Boris said. He will drink with you, but I can't.
- Go-go! Well, what is this nonsense? Rostov said with a contemptuous smile.
“He is a very, very good, honest and pleasant person,” said Boris.
Rostov once again looked intently into Boris's eyes and sighed. Berg returned, and over a bottle of wine, the conversation between the three officers brightened up. The guards told Rostov about their campaign, about how they were honored in Russia, Poland and abroad. They told about the words and deeds of their commander, the Grand Duke, anecdotes about his kindness and temper. Berg, as usual, was silent when the matter did not concern him personally, but on the occasion of anecdotes about the irascibility of the Grand Duke, he told with pleasure how in Galicia he managed to talk with the Grand Duke when he went around the regiments and was angry for the wrong movement. With a pleasant smile on his face, he told how the Grand Duke, very angry, rode up to him and shouted: “Arnauts!” (Arnauts - was the favorite saying of the Tsarevich when he was angry) and demanded a company commander.
“Believe me, count, I was not afraid of anything, because I knew that I was right. You know, Count, without boasting, I can say that I know the orders for the regiment by heart and I also know the charter, like our Father in heaven. Therefore, count, there are no omissions in my company. Here is my conscience and calm. I came. (Berg half stood up and imagined in his faces how he appeared with his hand to the visor. Indeed, it was difficult to portray in a face more respectful and self-satisfied.) Already he pushed me, as they say, push, push; pushed not on the stomach, but on death, as they say; and "Arnauts", and devils, and to Siberia, - said Berg, smiling shrewdly. - I know that I'm right, and therefore I am silent: isn't it, Count? "What, are you dumb, or what?" he screamed. I keep silent. What do you think, Count? The next day it was not even in the order: that's what it means not to get lost. So, count, - said Berg, lighting his pipe and blowing rings.
"Yes, that's nice," said Rostov, smiling.
But Boris, noticing that Rostov was going to laugh at Berg, artfully dismissed the conversation. He asked Rostov to tell how and where he received the wound. Rostov was pleased, and he began to tell, during the story he became more and more animated. He told them his Shengraben affair in exactly the same way as those who took part in them usually tell about the battles, that is, the way they would like it to be, the way they heard from other storytellers, the way it was more beautiful to tell, but not at all. the way it was. Rostov was a truthful young man; he would never deliberately tell a lie. He began to tell with the intention of telling everything exactly as it happened, but imperceptibly, involuntarily and inevitably for himself, he turned into a lie. If he had told the truth to these listeners, who, like himself, had already heard stories of attacks many times and formed a definite idea of ​​what an attack was, and expected exactly the same story, or they would not believe him, or, even worse, they would think that Rostov himself was to blame for the fact that what happened to him did not happen to him, which usually happens to the narrators of cavalry attacks. He could not tell them so simply that they all went at a trot, he fell off his horse, lost his arm and ran with all his might into the forest from the Frenchman. In addition, in order to tell everything as it happened, one had to make an effort on oneself to tell only what happened. Telling the truth is very difficult; and young people are rarely capable of it. They were waiting for a story about how he was on fire all over, not remembering himself, like a storm, he flew on a square; how he cut into him, chopped right and left; how the saber tasted the meat, and how he fell exhausted, and the like. And he told them all this.