Albert Eckhout worked as a court painter for Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen, the famed governor of Dutch Brazil from 1637-1643. During his tenure in Brazil, Eckhout produced images meant to convey the flora, fauna, landscape, and peoples of Brazil. In this still life, Eckhout focuses on the coconut, a fruit native to tropical zones like the Americas. Placed close to the picture plane, the viewer is invited to imagine that they could reach into the painting and discover the texture and taste of these exotic fruits.
Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albert_Eckhout_-_Cocos.jpg
QUILOMBO DOS PALMARES AND SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY BRAZIL 
