The Basket of Apples
1893 Art Institute of Chicago
About this artwork
This still life painting features a dynamic arrangement of apples in a tilted basket, alongside a dark bottle, a stack of biscuits on a white plate, and additional fruit scattered across a crumpled white tablecloth and a wooden table surface.
Did you know?
Paul Cézanne was obsessed with still life, often spending days arranging his fruits and fabric, insisting on absolute immobility from his subjects—even gluing apples in place to prevent them from rolling. This meticulous approach allowed him to explore form, light, and perspective with a unique rigor, laying foundational groundwork for Cubism. The slightly askew composition and multiple viewpoints in 'The Basket of Apples' are characteristic of his groundbreaking challenge to traditional representational art.
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The Basket of Apples
Paul Cezanne, 1893
