Description
The "cherry basket" painting of 1921, created by the talented artist Félix Vallotton, stands as an exemplary work that encapsulates the mastery of the Swiss painter in the still life. Vallotton, mainly known for his incisive wood engravings and his role in the Les Nabis group, achieves with this piece an impeccable synthesis of shape and color, which although it is not aligned with the most politicized themes of his graphic work, reveals a subtlety and serenity in his mature approach.
At first glance, "basket of cherry" might seem a superficially simple theme. However, a detailed inspection discovers a deep consideration for composition and pictorial treatment. The work presents a wicker basket full of mature cherries, placed on a clearly delimited surface. The choice of a dark table as a counterpart to the brilliant scarlet of fruits is not accidental; Vallotton uses this contrast to highlight the vibrant color of cherries. Cherries, meticulously embodied with touches of light that simulate their natural brightness, reflect the freshness and vitality that contrasts with the sobriety of the background.
The use of color is particularly remarkable. Vallotton not only uses the red of the cherries to attract the viewer's attention, but also uses a green tones palette on the interleaved leaves, which adds a chromatic balance and dynamizes the composition. The influence of French aesthetics is evident, combined with almost photographic precision that characterizes Vallotton's work.
Throughout his career, Vallotton cultivated a stylized and somewhat austere style, moving away from the impressionist brushstrokes of his contemporaries. In "Basket of Cherrys", this inclination towards thorough detail and morphological accuracy becomes evident. The basket itself is a testimony of its technical skill, faithfully recreating the texture of the wicker to the point that roughness can almost be felt under the fingertips.
Beyond its formidable technique, this work provides a contemplative respite. In a time of tumult and post First World War, "Cerezas Basket" offers a scene of calm and abundance. This piece reflects an admiration for the ephemeral beauty of everyday life, a trend that Vallotton shares with other artists of his time but that he culminates with a particular distinction.
In the tradition of lifting nature, "basket of cherry" is inscribed within a legacy of artists who have used this way to experience and master the combination of colors, light and textures. The cherries, a recurring motive in the history of art, from the ceremonious flamenco compositions of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to modern explorations, are here an excuse for Vallotton to display their unparalleled ability to capture the essential.
This painting From 1921 it is a window to the soul of an artist in full possession of his skill, who uses a seemingly banal scene to explore the interactions between light, shadow and color. Félix Vallotton, with his "cherry basket", invites us to stop and appreciate the simplicity of the ordinary, raising it to a visual reflection of the existence itself.
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