Who painted Boîte à lait, carafe et bol?

Boîte à lait, carafe et bol was painted by Paul Cezanne in 1890.

Where can I see Boîte à lait, carafe et bol?

Boîte à lait, carafe et bol is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Boîte à lait, carafe et bol?

Boîte à lait, carafe et bol is associated with Post-Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Boîte à lait, carafe et bol?

Museum-quality prints of Boîte à lait, carafe et bol are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Boîte à lait, carafe et bol

Paul Cezanne , 1890

Boîte à lait, carafe et bol is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Paul Cezanne. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1890, this oil painting presents a modest tabletop arrangement of domestic items—a milk pot covered with a white cloth, a dark‑toned carafe, a patterned bowl, and assorted fruit. The composition rests against a muted wall that hints at foliage in the upper corner, allowing the objects to dominate the visual field.

Subject & Meaning

The work gathers ordinary kitchenware and produce—apples, a lemon, a slice of bread—into a study of everyday life. By positioning these commonplace elements together, the artist invites contemplation of their formal qualities, turning the mundane into a subject for visual investigation rather than narrative storytelling.

Technique & Style

Thick, tactile brushstrokes characterize the surface, a technique that builds palpable texture and accentuates the contrast between the glossy fruit and the matte cloth. The application of paint emphasizes the solidity of forms, while the restrained palette of oranges, whites, and deep shadows heightens the spatial separation of each object.

Context

Executed during the artist’s extensive series of still lifes, the painting reflects a shift from the fleeting light effects of Impressionism toward a more structured, geometric treatment of space. This deliberate emphasis on underlying shape and volume contributed to the visual language later adopted by early 20th‑century movements such as Cubism.