Still Life c. 1920

Editor: So, this is Roger de La Fresnaye's "Still Life," created around 1920. It's a pencil drawing on paper, and what strikes me immediately is how these sharp, geometric shapes still suggest such domestic tranquility. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's fascinating how La Fresnaye uses Cubist language, known for fragmenting reality, to depict the bourgeois interior. Consider the socio-political context. Post World War I, the established order was in question. Cubism, with its rejection of traditional perspective, became a visual tool to challenge that order. Editor: So, it's not just about breaking down forms, but also about questioning social structures? Curator: Precisely. Look at the objects - the bottle, glasses, even the chair. These are symbols of middle-class life, but they're presented in a fractured way. The stability of the scene is disrupted by these angular shapes, subtly challenging the viewers comfort. What message do you think he's sending by depicting the bourgeoise with Cubism? Editor: Perhaps he’s hinting at the underlying instability of that lifestyle, even if it appears calm on the surface. The world was shifting, and maybe the bourgeoise needed shaking up a little, or opening to modern ideas? Curator: Exactly. It reflects the anxieties and uncertainties of a rapidly changing world. Editor: That’s really interesting; I wouldn’t have thought to connect Cubism to post-war anxieties in that way. I was mostly appreciating the rendering of light. Curator: And there is pleasure to be taken from that aspect, but now we see the historical context too. This piece makes me reconsider the role of art to confront societal norms. Editor: Definitely food for thought. It has really changed how I view it too.