The Skinned Rabbit Chaïm Soutine (1893-1943)

Here we observe a depiction of a rabbit in a state of anatomical exposure. The animal is positioned centrally within the composition, its fur removed to reveal musculature and skeletal structure beneath. The artist has rendered the subject with a palpable intensity; the flesh tones are dominated by shades of red, orange, and brown, creating an unsettling vibrancy that draws the eye directly to the exposed form.
The background is similarly treated in warm hues, though less defined than the central figure. A rectangular frame, painted in darker reddish-brown, surrounds the scene, contributing to a sense of enclosure and isolation. The surface upon which the rabbit rests appears to be draped fabric, rendered with loose brushstrokes that suggest texture without precise detail.
The painting’s subtexts are complex and potentially disturbing. The act of skinning an animal is inherently linked to themes of vulnerability, dissection, and the reduction of a living being to its constituent parts. This visual stripping away of the protective layer could be interpreted as a metaphor for exposure – emotional, psychological, or societal.
The color palette amplifies this sense of unease. The prevalence of red evokes associations with blood, violence, and raw physicality. It moves beyond a simple depiction of anatomy to suggest an exploration of mortality and the fragility of life. The lack of sentimentality in the rendering further contributes to the painting’s unsettling nature; there is no attempt at idealization or romanticism, only a stark presentation of biological reality.
The compositions tight framing and limited depth contribute to a claustrophobic atmosphere, intensifying the viewer’s focus on the exposed rabbit. The work seems less concerned with naturalistic representation than with conveying an emotional response – one that is likely to be uncomfortable, even unsettling, prompting reflection on themes of life, death, and the human relationship with nature.