The artwork titled “Still Life” was crafted by the accomplished artist Gustave Courbet, circa 1871-1872. Gustave Courbet, renowned for his contributions to the Realism art movement, elected oil as his medium and canvas as his substrate to bring forth this still life composition. Currently, the artwork resides within a private collection, available only for viewing through selection or the owner’s discretion.
In the artwork, one observes a richly textured assembly of fruit, which includes pomegranates and apples, arranged loosely but thoughtfully on a flat surface. The backdrop is shrouded in darkness, which emphasizes the organic form and colors of the fruit. The fruits appear tangible and ripe, capturing the immediacy of nature in a manner that is characteristic of Courbet’s dedication to rendering reality without embellishment. A sense of realism is thus conveyed through meticulous attention to detail, from the seeds revealed in a split pomegranate to the varying surface conditions of the fruit skins; each texture and hue is reproduced with fidelity. This is a fine example of the Realist movement’s ethos, seeking to transcend idealized representations and embrace the authenticity and simplicity of everyday subjects.
