Artwork
Persian Still Life
Persian Still Life is a tempera painting by Martiros Saryan. It dates from 1913 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Armenia.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1913, *Persian Still Life* is a tempera painting by Martiros Saryan, a central figure in the formation of modern Armenian painting. The work depicts a modest arrangement of a vase, a plate and assorted fruit set against a warm, golden backdrop. It is part of the National Gallery of Armenia’s permanent collection.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents everyday objects—a tall, slender vase, a round plate with a decorative rim, and a small bowl holding apples, grapes and pears—arranged on a surface that suggests a table or shelf. The simple grouping emphasizes the quiet beauty of domestic still life, inviting contemplation of form and color harmony.
Technique & Style
Executed in tempera, the painting features flat, unmodulated areas of pigment that lend a crisp, luminous quality to the objects. Saryan’s handling is restrained yet precise, with clean outlines and a limited palette that accentuates the warm, golden background and the subtle contrasts among the fruit and vessel.
History & Provenance
Born in Nakhichevan-on-Don in 1880, Saryan traveled extensively through Armenia and the Middle East, experiences that informed his vivid compositional choices. *Persian Still Life* entered the National Gallery of Armenia’s holdings, where it remains accessible to the public as an example of his early 20th‑century output.
Artist & collection
Artist
Martiros Saryan (Armenian: Մարտիրոս Սարյան; Russian: Мартиро́с Сарья́н; 28 February 1880 – 5 May 1972) was an Armenian painter, People's Artist of the USSR (1960), member of the USSR Academy of Fine Arts (1947),…
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