Artwork
Kirsebær i en frugtskål. Cività d'Antino
Kirsebær i en frugtskål. Cività d'Antino is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Poul Simon Christiansen. It dates from 1905 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created in 1905, this oil painting presents a solitary bowl brimming with cherries set against a plain blue backdrop.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1905, this oil painting presents a solitary bowl brimming with cherries set against a plain blue backdrop. The composition is straightforward, focusing on the fruit’s rich hues and the tactile surface of the bowl, while a rough wooden table supports the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The work concentrates on a humble still‑life arrangement: cherries of deep red, near‑black, and occasional green, some spilling over the rim and a few lying on the table. The simple subject reflects an interest in everyday objects rendered with visual intensity rather than symbolic narrative.
Technique & Style
Employing thick, impasto brushwork, the artist builds texture especially on the cherries, capturing the play of light from the upper left that creates subtle shadows. The handling of colour shows the influence of late‑19th‑century Colourists, with vivid contrasts and a focus on surface sensation.
History & Provenance
The painting belongs to the collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst. It forms part of the artist’s broader oeuvre, which also includes landscapes and religious scenes, illustrating his versatility within the early 20th‑century Danish art scene.
Context
Produced during a period when Danish painters were absorbing ideas from French modernists such as Gauguin and Van Gogh, the piece reflects a synthesis of domestic subject matter with a bold, colour‑driven approach characteristic of the Colourist movement.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Poul Simon Christiansen, frequently referred to as Poul S. Christiansen (20 October 1855, Rolfsted, Funen – 14 November 1933, Copenhagen) was a Danish painter who developed a Colourist style under Kristian Zahrtmann and…
