Clarinet, Guitar and Compotier (1918; France) by Georges Braque

Clarinet, Guitar and Compotier - Georges Braque - 1918; France

Artwork Information

TitleClarinet, Guitar and Compotier
ArtistGeorges Braque
Date1918; France
Mediumoil,canvas
Dimensions73 x 100 cm
Art MovementSynthetic Cubism
Current LocationKunstmuseum Basel, Basel, Switzerland

About Clarinet, Guitar and Compotier

The artwork “Clarinet, Guitar and Compotier” by Georges Braque, created in 1918 in France, is an oil painting on canvas that exemplifies the Synthetic Cubism movement. This still life measures 73 x 100 cm and is housed at the Kunstmuseum Basel in Basel, Switzerland. Synthetic Cubism is known for the assembly of various materials and objects, often creating a sense of collage and abstraction while maintaining the integrity of the depicted subjects.

In the artwork, Braque presents a fragmented and abstracted assemblage of everyday items such as a clarinet, a guitar, and a compotier or fruit dish, all of which are common motifs in still life compositions. The elements are broken down into geometric shapes and planes that interlock and overlap, demonstrating the characteristic style of Synthetic Cubism. There is a multiplicity of perspectives, and the viewer may perceive the objects from various angles simultaneously. The color palette is muted with a dominance of browns and grays mixed with blacks and pops of lighter hues, which helps to unite the composition and emphasize the flatness of the canvas.

Braque manipulates space and form in a way that challenges traditional perspectives, encouraging the observer to rethink the way visual reality can be represented on a two-dimensional surface. The text elements, such as the letters “L.RAD,” add a typographic dimension to the work, which is another feature of the Synthetic Cubist style where text and patterns are often integrated into the visual language. The composition with its overlapping shapes and reduced color scheme creates a rhythmic harmony, inviting deep contemplation on the nature of perception and the essence of the objects depicted.

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