The artwork titled “Still life of onions and pigeons and room interior in Copenhagen” is an oil on canvas painting created by the artist Paul Gauguin in 1885. Gauguin executed this piece during his time in Amagerbro, Copenhagen, Denmark. As a product of the Impressionism movement, it falls within the still life genre, depicting an arrangement that includes both organic and inanimate elements.
In the artwork, we observe a dimly lit interior scene that appears to be a kitchen or domestic space. The foreground is occupied by a still life arrangement, featuring onions and pigeons, with the lifeless birds arranged in a way that clearly conveys their role as food items. A large, rust-colored stove takes prominence on the right side, contributing to the sense of domesticity and utility. The room’s atmosphere is heavy, with a limited palette that emphasizes browns, oranges, and muted yellows against shadowy recesses.
Gauguin’s brushwork varies from gentle and atmospheric in the depiction of the light filtering through the back door to more expressive around the central objects and figures. We can see a few human forms in the background, suggesting the presence of people within this dwelling space. These figures are shrouded in shadow, adding a sense of everyday realism to the scene.
The arrangement of the still life in conjunction with the background suggests a narrative or daily life element, where the onions and pigeons are not merely objects of aesthetic contemplation but items that imply the process of preparation for a meal—the intersection of the everyday and the artistic. The textural quality of the paint and the use of light and shadow showcase Gauguin’s ability to imbue a simple scene with depth and character, elements that are characteristic of the Impressionist movement.
