What did watermelons look like centuries ago? This will tell … painting! In some paintings of the past, these delicious berries are depicted photorealistically.
For example, in a painting by the Italian artist Giovanni Stanci, painted between 1645 and 1672, you can see a watermelon that will cause considerable surprise to modern man. It is pale, “wiry” and has more pits than juicy flesh.
© Giovanni Stanchi
Professor James Nienhuis of the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Plant Science (USA) uses this painting in his class to show students how selective breeding changes different crops.
The vintage watermelons, judging by the appearance of the sample shown in Stanci’s painting, were probably tasty despite their fading. As a result of selection, the pulp of watermelon was saturated with lycopene, so it became more red. In addition, over the centuries, the bones in the watermelon have become smaller, and the percentage of particularly tasty pulp has been significantly increased.
Watermelons are native to Africa. After cultivation, these gourds took root well in the hot climate of the countries of the Middle East. Around 1600, they most likely spread throughout Europe, so in the photo we see a food product that is still quite exotic for the region.
