Still Life with a Metronome (c.1909; France) by Georges Braque

Still Life with a Metronome - Georges Braque - c.1909; France

Artwork Information

TitleStill Life with a Metronome
ArtistGeorges Braque
Datec.1909; France
Mediumoil,canvas
Dimensions81.5 x 53.5 cm
Art MovementCubism
Current LocationPrivate Collection

About Still Life with a Metronome

The artwork “Still Life with a Metronome” is a striking example of the Cubist movement, attributed to the renowned artist Georges Braque. Dating from around 1909 and originating in France, this oil on canvas reflects the experimental and avant-garde tendencies that characterized early 20th-century art. Measuring 81.5 cm by 53.5 cm, it currently resides in a private collection. As a still life, it showcases typical genre subjects, yet the treatment is anything but traditional, presenting objects in a fragmented and abstracted manner that is a hallmark of Cubism.

In the artwork, we observe an interplay of geometric forms and intersecting planes, creating a dynamic arrangement that challenges traditional perspectives. The color palette is relatively muted, with an emphasis on earth tones that enhance the sense of depth through shading and tonal variation. Although details of everyday objects are suggested, they are broken down and reassembled in such a way that the viewer is invited to reconstruct the scene mentally.

The fragmented surfaces seem to vibrate and shift, capturing the essence of the objects without directly depicting them. By dissecting and overlapping forms, Braque encourages a deeper engagement from the viewer, who must navigate through the abstracted shapes to glean the subject matter of the picture. Among these forms, one might discern the presence of a metronome, as indicated by the artwork’s title, although its image is far from literal, blending into the complex rhythm of shapes on the canvas. This approach exemplifies the Cubists’ interest in depicting not just a single moment in time, but rather, a multitude of viewpoints simultaneously.

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