still life with bottle of red wine 1942 Pierre Bonnard

The composition presents a tabletop arrangement of everyday objects rendered in a vibrant, textured style. A dark red bottle dominates the left side of the scene, its form simplified and outlined with bold strokes. Adjacent to it sits a small, similarly colored glass, echoing the bottle’s shape and contributing to a sense of visual harmony.
A large, ornate glass jar occupies the center ground, filled with what appears to be an assortment of fruits or vegetables – their individual forms dissolving into a mosaic of warm hues like orange, yellow, and red. This vessel is positioned near a tall, slender decanter, its transparency suggested through delicate washes of blue and green.
A small plate holds a cluster of rounded objects, possibly plums or peaches, their surfaces modeled with subtle gradations of purple and pink. A shallow dish sits nearby, containing what might be nuts or candies – their forms indistinct but contributing to the overall sense of abundance. A compact stack of circular items, likely cigarettes in a holder, is placed on the right edge.
The tabletop itself appears as a broad expanse of cream-colored fabric, punctuated by patches of color that suggest folds and creases. A patterned border runs along the bottom edge, adding another layer of visual complexity.
The artist’s application of paint is characterized by thick impasto and visible brushstrokes, lending a tactile quality to the scene. The colors are intense and saturated, creating a sense of warmth and vitality. Theres an intentional flattening of perspective; objects appear almost on the same plane, minimizing depth cues.
Subtly, the arrangement evokes a feeling of domesticity and quiet contemplation. The presence of wine and tobacco suggests leisure and indulgence, while the abundance of food implies prosperity or perhaps a nostalgic yearning for simpler times. The deliberate distortion of form and color moves beyond mere representation; it conveys an emotional response to the subject matter – a sense of both familiarity and heightened perception.