Artwork
Still Life with Apples
Still Life with Apples is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Othon Friesz. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created in 1915, this oil painting depicts a modest tabletop arrangement featuring apples, a teapot, and a vase of flowers.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1915, this oil painting depicts a modest tabletop arrangement featuring apples, a teapot, and a vase of flowers. The composition is anchored by the fruit, which rests beside the ceramic vessel, while the floral vase occupies the left side of the surface. The work belongs to the still‑life tradition and reflects the artist’s post‑Impressionist sensibilities.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents everyday objects rendered with a quiet intimacy, inviting contemplation of ordinary domestic life. The juxtaposition of ripe apples with a utilitarian teapot and a delicate floral bouquet suggests a balance between nourishment, utility, and aesthetic pleasure, typical of early‑twentieth‑century explorations of the mundane as artistic subject.
Technique & Style
Employing a restrained palette of browns, muted greens and soft yellows, the artist applies loose, expressive brushwork that conveys a subtle dynamism. Light falls across the table, creating gentle chiaroscuro that models the forms and imparts a modest sense of depth, while the overall handling remains characteristic of post‑Impressionist approaches to color and texture.
History & Provenance
The work was executed by Othon Friesz, a French painter born in Le Havre in 1879 who became associated with the Fauvist circle before developing a more subdued, lyrical style. Painted during the later phase of his career, the piece reflects his shift away from the vivid Fauvist palette toward a more muted tonal range.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Achille-Émile Othon Friesz (6 February 1879 – 10 January 1949), who later called himself Othon Friesz, a native of Le Havre, was a French artist of the Fauvist movement.
