Still Life with Yellow Plate 1928

Kmetty János made this still life painting with oil on canvas, and I get the feeling he was totally in love with the process. Look at the lower part of the painting, see that red, it looks like it was scraped, maybe with a palette knife, or even just the edge of the brush. I think it's this surface texture that sets the tone, giving everything a kind of gritty, real feel. The colors are subtle, warm reds, yellows, and browns that vibrate against the cool white of the cup. Speaking of that cup, it’s not just white, is it? There are hints of blues and grays in there, a kind of ghostly echo of the shadows. I am reminded of Cezanne and the way he built form through layers of color. Like all good paintings, this one is not just about seeing, but about feeling. It's like Kmetty is saying, "Hey, let's slow down and really look at the world around us".