Within the seeming homogeneity of the mode of object display in these works, there is wide variation among the groupings. Some are simple renderings ofthe fruits and vegetables (Stil Life with Maniac, Still Life with Coconuts, and Stil Life with Calabash), while others (Still Life with Cala- bash and Fruitand especially Still Life with Water: ‘melons, Pineapple, and Other Fruit) are displayed as piled up on the left side of the canvas, cascad- ing to the right in the dramatic manner of a sumptuous floral painting. A superficial inter- pretation of the natural objects in Eckhout’s still lifes might refer to them as depicting the fruits of the New World, metaphors for the Euro pean desire to possess and colonize the land. In fact, however, there are both New World and Old World foods represented here. In five of the twelve paintings, vegetables native to Europe (including melons, cabbages, radishes, cucum- bers, and bottle gourds) are shown alongside those from tropical climates (passion fruit, gua vas, coconuts, brazil nuts, cashews, pineapples, papayas, mangoes, bananas, palm fruit, cactus, and manioc). This combination could be taken Wondrous Objects | 58,