STILL LIFE WITH PLASTER CUPID,1895, COURTAULD INSTIT Paul Cezanne (1839-1906)

The composition presents a still life arrangement dominated by a plaster statuette of a youthful figure. The subject stands centrally, positioned on a slightly elevated plane that suggests a stage or platform. This placement immediately draws the viewers attention and establishes it as the focal point of the scene.
A variety of fruit is scattered around the base of the statuette, arranged in a shallow bowl to the left and spilling onto the surface beyond. The fruits – apples, oranges, and what appear to be lemons – are rendered with a muted palette, their colors blending into the overall tonal range. A draped cloth lies adjacent to the fruit, its folds creating a sense of depth and adding visual complexity to the arrangement.
Behind the statuette, a dark, rectangular shape suggests a wall or screen, further emphasizing the figure’s prominence. Another, smaller sculpture is partially visible on this backdrop, hinting at a collection or studio setting. The background itself is not uniformly colored; instead, it displays subtle shifts in tone and texture, contributing to an atmosphere of quiet contemplation.
The artists handling of form is notable. The statuette is depicted with a deliberate lack of idealization. Its proportions appear somewhat awkward, its features simplified, and the surface texture rough. This approach moves away from traditional notions of beauty and instead emphasizes the materiality of the plaster itself. Similarly, the fruit are not rendered with photographic realism; rather, they are presented as volumes defined by light and shadow.
The subtexts within this work seem to revolve around themes of artifice and imitation. The plaster statuette, a copy of an earlier classical sculpture, stands as a symbol of artistic reproduction and the passage of time. Its imperfect rendering suggests a commentary on the limitations of replication and the inevitable decay of even the most revered forms. The fruit, too, can be interpreted as symbols of transience and mortality, their ripeness hinting at eventual decline.
The overall effect is one of restrained elegance and melancholic introspection. The subdued color palette, the deliberate simplification of form, and the careful arrangement of objects create a sense of stillness and quietude that invites prolonged contemplation.