The artwork “Still Life with Open Drawer” by Paul Cézanne is an oil on canvas painting created in the year 1879. It is a fine example of the Impressionist movement, measuring 33 x 41 cm and belonging to the genre of still life. Currently, this painting is part of a private collection.
The artwork exhibits a tableau of objects arranged on a surface with an open drawer. The composition includes a variety of fruit, most likely apples and oranges, which are placed casually, yet deliberately, on a plate. These fruits are rendered with brushstrokes that capture the essence of their forms without strict adherence to realistic detail, a hallmark of Cézanne’s approach to still-life painting. Adjacent to the fruit, there appears to be a bowl and a glass, each painted with a consideration of how light and shadow interact with their surfaces.
The open drawer, which is part of a table or possibly a sideboard, adds an intriguing element to the scene, providing a sense of depth and drawing the viewer’s eye into the painting. The background is somewhat indistinct, allowing the objects in the foreground to stand out more prominently. The overall use of color, light, and composition reflects the Impressionist movement’s interest in capturing moments of visual experience and the subjective perception of the artist rather than a strictly realistic representation of the subject matter.
