Artwork
Stillleben mit Herbstblatt
Stillleben mit Herbstblatt is an oil painting by the Naïve art artist Johann Wilhelm von Tscharner. It dates from 1928 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.
About this work
Overview
Johann Wilhelm von Tscharner’s 1928 oil painting, Stillleben mit Herbstblatt, is part of the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich. The work presents a modest arrangement on a tabletop, dominated by a single autumn leaf and a handful of paper sheets, set against an unadorned white background. Its restrained palette of browns and beiges emphasizes the quiet, observational quality of the composition.
Subject & Meaning
The composition isolates everyday objects, a fallen leaf and scattered papers, to draw attention to their materiality and the passage of time they suggest. By placing the leaf on the left and the papers to its right, the artist creates a subtle dialogue between nature and human activity, inviting contemplation of transience within ordinary domestic space.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting reveals visible brushwork that models the texture of the leaf’s veins and the fibrous surface of the papers. The limited tonal range and the flat, white backdrop eliminate spatial depth, focusing the viewer’s eye on surface detail and the nuanced interplay of light and shadow across the muted hues.
History & Provenance
Created in 1928, Stillleben mit Herbstblatt entered the holdings of the Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains on display. The work reflects von Tscharner’s interest in still‑life subjects during the interwar period, a time when Swiss artists often explored simplicity and material focus in response to broader modernist currents.
Artist & collection
Artist
Johann Wilhelm von Tscharner (1886–1946) was an artist, born in Lviv.
