The artwork titled “Little Pastry Cook” was created by Chaim Soutine around the year 1921. It is an oil painting on canvas, firmly rooted in the Expressionism art movement. This portrait, part of the genre conveying the artist’s characteristic brushwork and emotional intensity, resides in the Portland Museum of Art (PMA) in Portland, Maine, United States.
The artwork depicts a young pastry cook standing against a background awash with rich, vibrant hues predominantly in tones of red and orange. The figure is dressed in traditional attire—a white chef’s coat and a hat—set against this intense, almost chaotic backdrop. The artist’s brushstrokes are dynamic and expressive, contributing to the overall sense of movement and emotion within the piece. The chef’s elongated features and slouched posture capture a sense of weariness or contemplation, while the warm palette of colors envelops the character, enhancing the overall expressionistic style of Soutine’s work. The juxtaposition of the figure against the saturated background serves to highlight the central figure, bringing a striking emphasis to the portrait and invoking a deeper psychological narrative.
