APPLES, PEACHES, PEARS, AND GRAPES,1879-80, EREMITAG Paul Cezanne (1839-1906)

The composition presents a still life arrangement centered around a collection of fruit displayed on a shallow blue plate. The fruits – apples, peaches, pears, and grapes – are rendered in a simplified, almost geometric style, with forms reduced to planes and volumes rather than detailed representations. Their colors are vibrant yet muted, primarily consisting of oranges, yellows, greens, and purples, applied in broad strokes that emphasize the textural quality of the paint itself.
The plate rests upon a rectangular table surface, painted in shades of ochre and yellow, which dominates much of the middle ground. Behind this table, a wall is visible, its color a cool, subdued green-grey. The background lacks any sense of depth or perspective; it serves primarily as a flat backdrop that accentuates the forms in front.
In the upper right corner, several more apples are loosely arranged, appearing almost like an afterthought or extension of the main grouping. Their placement contributes to a feeling of deliberate asymmetry within the overall arrangement. A cylindrical object, possibly a glass or jar, is positioned near the lower edge of the canvas, partially obscured by shadows and reflections that suggest a dark surface beneath the table.
The artist’s choice to flatten perspective and reduce forms to their essential shapes suggests an interest in exploring the formal qualities of painting itself – color, line, and plane – rather than in creating a realistic depiction of fruit. The deliberate lack of traditional shading or modeling contributes to a sense of austerity and detachment. This approach moves beyond mere representation towards a more conceptual engagement with the subject matter.
Subtly, theres an implication of abundance and harvest, yet this is tempered by the painting’s formal rigor. The fruits are not presented as symbols of sensual pleasure or decay; instead, they become objects of study, their inherent qualities examined through the lens of artistic construction. The overall effect is one of quiet contemplation, inviting a focus on the materiality of paint and the underlying structure of visual perception.