The lemon Édouard Manet (1832-1883)

The painting, titled The Lemon, presents a still life composition featuring a single, vibrant yellow lemon placed on a dark, circular plate. The lemon dominates the foreground, its textured surface rendered with visible brushstrokes that convey a sense of its roundness and slight imperfections, such as a few small dark specks. The plate is depicted with broad, sweeping strokes of dark greens and blues, with subtle highlights of white and grey along its rim, suggesting a polished surface. The background is a muted, dark grey-green, providing a stark contrast that makes the lemons color even more prominent. The overall lighting is soft, casting gentle shadows and illuminating the lemon from above.
The subtexts of this painting can be interpreted in several ways. On a superficial level, it is a study of form, color, and light, demonstrating the artists skill in capturing the essence of a simple object. Lemons themselves often symbolize freshness, zest, and sometimes bitterness or sourness, depending on cultural context. Placed on a dark plate against a subdued background, the lemon could represent vibrancy and life amidst a somber or mundane setting. The simplicity of the composition might also suggest an emphasis on the beauty found in everyday objects, a common theme in still life art. Furthermore, the artists signature, E. Manet, is visible in the lower right corner, placing this work within the context of Impressionist or Realist movements, where capturing transient moments and the realities of ordinary life were paramount. The bold, unblended brushstrokes and intense color could also be seen as a subtle departure from hyperrealism, pointing towards a more subjective interpretation of the subject.