William Mason Brown was born in Troy, New York, in 1828. Like Martin Johnson Heade, Brown became known for his still life paintings as well as some landscape painting; although, in Brown’s case, the artist’s still life paintings attracted broader and more enthusiastic acclaim. Brown was a disciple of John Ruskin whose pre-Raphaelite tenets instructed rigorous fidelity to nature. Accordingly, Brown focused on still life with a resolute attention to detail. Brown’s "Red Raspberries on a Forest Floor" are exquisite and remarkable in their visual appeal and natural context.