STILL LIFE WITH COMPOTIER,1879-80, COLLECTION MR. AN Paul Cezanne (1839-1906)

This is a still life painting by Paul Cézanne, titled Still Life with Compotier, painted between 1879-1880. The composition features a white compotier filled with green grapes and several oranges or apples. Below the compotier, resting on a white tablecloth, are more fruits – apples and possibly lemons – in vibrant reds and greens. To the right of the compotier, a glass of water is placed. The background is a textured, muted green, with hints of draped fabric or foliage.
The subtexts of this painting lie in Cézannes revolutionary approach to still life. He is not merely capturing a realistic depiction of the objects; rather, he is exploring their form, volume, and spatial relationships on the canvas. The bold brushstrokes and the way he flattens planes invite the viewer to consider the structure and essence of the fruit and vessels, rather than just their surface appearance. The deliberate arrangement and the interplay of light and shadow contribute to a sense of solidity and presence, but also a subtle geometric abstraction that anticipates Cubism. This painting is a testament to Cézannes pursuit of representing the in-derivable structure of nature, moving art beyond Impressionisms fleeting moments towards a more profound and analytical representation of form.