Still life with open drawer 1879

Paul Cézanne's still life painting presents us with a collection of everyday objects, including fruit, dishes, a glass, and a drawer slightly ajar. Throughout history, fruit, particularly apples, has been used in art as more than just an object. Consider the mythical golden apples, symbols of immortality and temptation. And consider the story of Adam and Eve, where an apple is used to represent knowledge and the fall of man. Here, the presence of fruit in Cézanne's work continues this symbolic tradition, though stripped of its religious context. Notice the open drawer. It invites curiosity and perhaps a sense of unease, leaving the viewer to wonder what is concealed within, or what has been revealed. This invites the viewer to engage with the work on a deeply personal and psychological level. It echoes in art history, in works as diverse as Pandora’s box or the hidden rooms in surrealist paintings. Ultimately, Cézanne's work reminds us of the cyclical nature of symbols, their ability to resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.