Still Life with Basket of Apples (to Lucien Pissarro) 1887

Vincent van Gogh painted Still Life with Basket of Apples, using oil on canvas, as a gift for Lucien Pissarro. This still life, with its ordinary subject matter, reflects Van Gogh's engagement with the everyday, and his efforts to find beauty in the mundane. Painted during a period when Van Gogh was exploring new techniques and ideas, it’s an homage to Pissarro. We see Van Gogh grappling with his artistic identity, navigating the expectations of the art world while asserting his unique vision. This piece represents an intersection of influences and a search for belonging. In a letter to his brother Theo, Van Gogh wrote of his desire to create art that was "true to reality" and "touched by emotion." Consider the history of still life painting, often associated with domesticity and the feminine sphere, and how Van Gogh both embraces and subverts these associations. The apples, rendered with thick brushstrokes and vibrant colors, pulse with life.