“Still Life with Fish,” painted by Chaim Soutine circa 1921, is an expressionist still-life artwork rendered in oil on canvas. This piece is part of the collection at the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Springs, California, USA.
The artwork vividly captures a chaotic yet captivating arrangement of fish, portrayed with bold, expressive brushstrokes that evoke a sense of movement and texture. The composition centers on a plate, laden with fish whose forms are dynamic and somewhat distorted, reflecting Soutine’s unique interpretation of the still-life genre within the Expressionist movement. The use of dramatic colors and vigorous application of paint brings a visceral intensity to the depiction, making the fish appear almost alive. The background, with its swirling, dark hues, contrasts sharply with the lighter tones of the fish and plate, enhancing the dramatic effect and emphasizing the organic forms within the artwork.