This complex and convincing composition painted from a frontal perspective appears to be divided into two well-connected halves. In the lower half, which is nearer the viewer, the artist has placed a wooden shelf or plank that is chipped in several places, in the manner of a table, on which several elements are skilfully arranged. On the left is a metal plate -silver or pewter on which six masterfully painted red apples lie and are reflected. The light helps emphasise the varied hues of their skin, while the opacity of their surface and the tendency to emphasise volume contrasts almost theatrically with the transparent effect of the grapes beside them. In the centre are two bunches of white grapes from which projects a very fine, elegantly drawn tendril. The texture of their skin is achieved with the extraordinary skilful use of highlighting to suggest a glasslike translucency. On the right, further into the background, is a red dish vessel similar to those found in works by Spanish artists of the time, which resembles surviving pieces of Mexican origin (ceramic ware from Tonalá, Jalisco, Guadalajara) made of fragrant clay, which were commonly used to cool and perfume liquids in 17th-century Spain. The upper half of the painting displays branches with clusters of grapes of different varieties, black and red, suspended from pieces of string in the manner of Sánchez Cotán (1560-1627) of the Spanish school, and plums arranged vertically against a neutral background, whose texture and volume are achieved by means of transparency and powerful illumination. The beam of light that enters top left is a tenebrist device and powerfully strikes the carefully drawn objects, illuminating some areas of the fruits and leaves from behind in order to create different planes, while establishing a connection between the upper and lower areas of the canvas. In addition to the influence of Juan Fernández el Labrador (documented between 1630 and 1636), which Jordan (1985) has underlined, the artist must surely have been familiar with still life paintings from the Flemish countries, as he assimilated their painstaking, precise technique and the ability to reflect the transparency and variations of the different skin textures. The picture, which was studied by Perez Sanchez (1983), who dated it to around 1630 or slightly later on the basis of the artist´s choice of luminous colours, is curious in that the 1872 museum catalogue compiled under Pedro de Madrazo states that it was signed, and this was repeated in subsequent editions. The signature is not visible today; however, the acquisition for the Musee du Louvre in 1973 of a painting of similar subject matter, technique and quality signed by Espinosa has reinforced the attribution proposed in the 19th century. Although there is no signature, the attribution is based on analyses conducted of the artist´s works. Indeed, the preciosity of the technique, the contoured backlit leaves and curving movement of the tendrils are found in the known paintings attributed to Juan Bautista de Espinosa. The artist probably borrowed the idea of the hanging grapes from the famous paintings by the aforementioned Labrador. The combination of hanging grapes and plums in this painting by Espinosa, for example, greatly recalls the latter´s use of these same motifs in his works. The artist may even have attempted to take advantage of the huge demand for Labrador´s still lifes in Madrid, which were difficult to come by as his visits to the city were infrequent (Text drawn from Luna, J. J.: From Titian to Goya. Great Masters of the Museo del Prado, National Art Museum of China-Shanghai Museum, 2007, pp. 350-351).