Upon first inspection Paul Cézanne’s “Still Life with Apples” 1893-94, oil on canvas, 66 x 82cm. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, appears to be an unimpressive and inferior quality example of a traditional still life painting.

The scene contains a slightly distorted representation of a range of pottery type vases, a corked wine/brandy bottle and a white oval plate holding seven irregular and dubiously shaded apples. The composition also contains two dishevelled table cloths, one white, one grey/black patterned upon which the aforementioned array of items has been set. Three additional apples are to be found nestling among the folds of these cloths and the entire caboodle is arranged upon what one presumes to be a kitchen surface such as a shelf or a table.

The background, painted in a range of medium and darker greys, demonstrates the move from the horizontal table/shelf surface to a vertical wall space, and two vertical lines on the wall just left and right of centre, near an area of lighter shading, suggest the representation of corners: The straight horizontal line denoting the top edge of the table/shelf does not appear to correspond with this corner effect and this adds ( whether deliberately or otherwise ) to the subtle but definite sense of distortion that is immediately apparent when viewing the painting.

Those with an eye for classical art would probably agree with the decision of the nineteenth century traditional senior professionals whose annual Salon Exhibition dominated the French art-world during the time that Cézanne was working largely in Paris and refuse to recognise or endorse Paul Cézanne’s work. Documented evidence exists to suggest that his first submissions to the Salon were made in 1863 but it was not until 1882 that he managed to have examples of his work admitted. ( O.U. A100 Book 1. P58 ) and while looking at “Still Life with Apples” it is perhaps, not difficult to understand the traditionalist’s initial reaction toward Cézanne’s interpretation of what constitutes art.

Cézanne, contrary to popular belief, was not interested in impressionism to the exclusion of all other artistic techniques, he also copied masterpieces from the Louvre and the first dozen or so examples of still life that he created during the 1860’s suggest that he was greatly inspired by Chardin.

It was only after meeting Pissarro at the Académie Suisse that his interest in impressionism became more prominent and he subsequently experimented with the technique. Later however, after three exhibitions and much critical denouncement of his works, he distanced himself from the Impressionists and still life (apples in particular) became the main objects of his interest, possibly to an obsessive compulsive level.

He was known to have painted the same items over and over again in an attempt to overcome compositional problems and this probably accounts for the fact that still life paintings make up approximately 20% of his overall production. Apparently he painted little else other than still life for the last quarter century of his life.

Bibliography

Graham-Dixon, Andrew, Art The Definitive Visual Guide, first published (2008) Great Britain. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. (A Penguin Company)

The Open University. AA100 The Arts Past and Present. Reputations. (2008) Printed in the United Kingdom by Spin Offset Ltd., Rainham, Essex.

The Open University. AA100 The Arts Past and Present. Illustrations Book. (2008) Printed in Europe by The Alden Group, Oxfordshire.