The artwork entitled “Still Life,” created by Paul Cezanne in 1877, is a quintessential example of the still life genre produced during the Impressionist movement. It is an oil painting on canvas which showcases Cezanne’s unique approach to capturing the essence of the objects through his brushwork and composition.
In this particular artwork, the careful arrangement of ordinary household items on a draped surface invites contemplation. The table holds a ceramic jar, a white container with a lid, and an assortment of fruit, likely peaches and apples, casually spread on a rumpled cloth which adds a sense of depth and texture to the composition. The backdrop features a patterned wallpaper that offers a striking contrast to the solidity of the painted objects. The use of shading and color variations on each object manifests Cezanne’s signature style that bridges impressionism with the emerging schools of post-impressionism and modernism, as characterized by a more structured depiction of form and a thoughtful exploration of spatial dynamics.
