Zátiší 1921

Josef Capek made this still life painting called 'Zátiší' with oil paint, sometime before 1945. You can see right away that Capek isn't trying to trick you into thinking this is real life. The colors are muted, almost chalky. The surface has all these visible brushstrokes that create a kind of buzzing energy. The blues and pinks in the background almost look like they are stenciled. It is such a simple still life - a vase of flowers on a table - but it feels so full of life. Look at how the vase in the middle is painted. It's like a keyhole, isn't it? And the way the lines are slightly wobbly, not perfect, gives it this human quality, like a drawing by a child. It reminds me a bit of Picasso, especially the way he simplifies forms, but with a Czech twist. Capek is having a conversation with the avant-garde but he's doing it his way. And, ultimately, that’s what art is all about.