The artwork “Still Life with Apples,” painted by Paul Cezanne in 1894, exemplifies the Post-Impressionist movement. Created using oil on canvas, this still life measures 46 x 55 cm and is part of a private collection. Its portrayal of ordinary objects is indicative of the genre, which seeks to encapsulate more than just the visual depiction but also the essence and structure of the subjects.
The artwork presents a scene abundant with texture and subdued colors, arranged in a composition that is both static and dynamic. Various apples, each rendered with particular attention to their volumetric form and the way light plays off their surfaces, occupy the center of the scene. They are placed on a plate, which sits atop a table alongside other elements such as a patterned cup and saucer and a dark cloth, contributing to a sense of depth and materiality. In the background, a part of a furniture piece can be discerned, as well as what appears to be a wall hanging or a framed piece.
Cezanne’s technique of applying paint in layered brushstrokes builds a complex array of textures that invite viewers to contemplate the interplay of light, shadow, and color. The composition’s perspective challenges conventional representation by slightly skewing the sense of space and depth, a hallmark of Cezanne’s influence on the development of modern art. Even in the careful depiction of seemingly prosaic subjects, the artwork reveals a profound meditation on the physical and perceptual experience of the world, a quintessential characteristic of Post-Impressionist endeavors.
