Artwork
Still Life with Four Apples
Still Life with Four Apples is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1929 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1929 by the artist identified as 1132_person, this still‑life composition presents four apples arranged in a linear fashion on a flat plane. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed as an example of early twentieth‑century representational painting.
Subject & Meaning
The painting focuses exclusively on four round apples, each rendered with a dark hue punctuated by lighter highlights that suggest a polished surface. By isolating the fruit against an unadorned, light background, the artist draws attention to the objects’ materiality and the subtle variations in tone, inviting contemplation of everyday forms.
Technique & Style
Executed in a restrained, almost sketch‑like manner, the apples are delineated with minimal line work, emphasizing their basic shapes over intricate detail. The contrast between illuminated areas and deeper shadows demonstrates a modest use of chiaroscuro, giving the composition a sense of depth while maintaining a flat, graphic quality.
History & Provenance
The work entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings sometime after its creation, though precise acquisition details remain undocumented. Its presence in the museum’s collection reflects the institution’s broader interest in objects that bridge visual art and cultural representation, situating the piece within a mid‑twentieth‑century context.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
