Still Life 1911

Kmetty János made this painting of fruit and a pitcher with oil on canvas, and I’m really trying to imagine what it was like for him to decide where to place the objects on the table, and what colours to use to describe them. I love the ochre hues of the fruit, next to the muted greens and blues in the background. The table and the fruit feel very solid, grounded, and real to me, while the pitcher is more fluid and dreamlike. I can imagine the artist working on the surface, moving the paint around and changing his mind. There’s a tension between representation and abstraction here that reminds me of Cezanne. I wonder if Kmetty was looking at Cezanne when he made this painting, or if he was just working from his own intuition? Either way, artists are always in conversation with one another, even across time. Ultimately this painting is so much more than just a still life. It’s an expression of Kmetty’s own unique way of seeing the world.