Artwork
The White Tablecloth
The White Tablecloth is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin. It dates from 1732 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
The White Tablecloth is an oil-on-canvas painting by Jean Siméon Chardin, exemplifying his skill in still lifes and domestic scenes.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a still life with a white tablecloth, food, and utensils, incorporating motifs from 17th-century Dutch and Flemish art, such as a foreshortened knife and overturned glass.
Technique & Style
Chardin employed glazing techniques to achieve the desired visual effect, characteristic of his still life works.
History & Provenance
Originally, the painting served as a screen for a fireplace opening, its unusual shape designed to create an illusion of depth when viewed from the floor.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean Siméon Chardin (French: ; November 2, 1699 – December 6, 1779) was an 18th-century French painter.
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