Who painted Still Life with a Jar, a Sauceboat and a Bottle?

Still Life with a Jar, a Sauceboat and a Bottle was painted by Unknown in 1920.

Where can I see Still Life with a Jar, a Sauceboat and a Bottle?

Still Life with a Jar, a Sauceboat and a Bottle is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

Artwork

Still Life with a Jar, a Sauceboat and a Bottle

Unknown , 1920

Still Life with a Jar, a Sauceboat and a Bottle is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Overview

Painted in 1920, this still life features a clay jar, a green bottle with a visible label, and a white dish containing a spoon and a partially peeled lemon.

Painted in 1920, this still life features a clay jar, a green bottle with a visible label, and a white dish containing a spoon and a partially peeled lemon. The composition is deliberately sparse, arranged on a dark, textured surface beneath a muted green backdrop. The work is held in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is presented as an example of early 20th-century domestic still life painting.

Subject & Meaning

The objects depicted—everyday kitchen items—are rendered without symbolic embellishment, suggesting an interest in the quiet dignity of ordinary things. The half-peeled lemon introduces a subtle sense of motion and transience, as if the act of preparation has just been interrupted. This casual realism avoids grand narrative, focusing instead on the quiet presence of domestic life.

Technique & Style

Thick, uneven brushwork characterizes the surface, particularly on the jar and lemon rind, creating a tactile quality through impasto. Bold hues of orange, green, and white contrast sharply with the subdued background, enhancing the objects' physical presence. The roughness of the paint and the unpolished handling suggest a deliberate rejection of smooth academic finish in favor of material immediacy.

History & Provenance

The painting entered the Museum of Ethnography’s collection shortly after its creation, likely through direct acquisition or donation. Its placement in an ethnographic context, rather than a fine arts institution, reflects an early 20th-century interest in documenting vernacular culture through visual artifacts. No significant changes in ownership are documented prior to its museum acquisition.

Context

Created during a period when many artists turned away from idealized forms toward raw, unadorned subjects, this work aligns with broader European trends favoring material honesty over decorative precision. Its inclusion in an ethnographic museum suggests a contemporaneous blurring of boundaries between art and cultural record, where domestic objects were seen as expressions of lived experience.

Legacy

Though not widely exhibited outside its home institution, the painting remains a quiet example of how early modernist sensibilities transformed still life into a study of texture and presence. Its emphasis on ordinary materials and unrefined technique influenced later artists interested in the poetic potential of the mundane, particularly within regional art circles.