Who painted Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair?

Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair was painted by Karl Isakson in 1916-01-01.

Where can I see Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair?

Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair?

Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair is associated with Cubism Synthetic.

Artwork

Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair

Karl Isakson , 1916

Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair is an oil painting by the Cubism Synthetic artist Karl Isakson. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting presents a modest arrangement of flowers and fruit alongside the back of a wooden chair, a composition that emphasizes ordinary domestic objects rather than grand narrative or allegory. The inclusion of a chair back introduces a subtle human presence, suggesting contemplation or the recent absence of a figure, while the flowers and fruit carry traditional connotations of transience and abundance within the still‑life tradition. Together these elements convey a quiet meditation on material simplicity and the fleeting nature of everyday life, reflecting Isakson’s interest in intimate, personal symbolism rather than overt storytelling.

Technique & Style

0 cm in width, reflecting its substantial scale within the still life genre.

Karl Isakson's 1916 work Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair is executed in oil paint on canvas, a fact confirmed by both its cataloguing as an oil painting and its material listing in the museum's record. The piece measures 645.0 cm in height and 700.0 cm in width, reflecting its substantial scale within the still life genre. Its composition balances floral arrangements, fruit forms, and the implied structure of a chair back, creating a harmonious arrangement of natural motifs rendered with precise brushwork characteristic of early 20th-century modernist still lifes.

History & Provenance

Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair is an oil painting on canvas created in 1916 by Swedish artist Karl Isakson. The work measures 645 cm in height and 700 cm in width and falls within the still life genre. It was painted during a period when Isakson was developing his mature style, characterized by simplified forms and muted color palettes. The painting entered the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst and remains part of its holdings.

Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. The institution serves as both the owner and the physical location for the 1916 oil painting. While the work is cataloged within the museum's holdings, the provided records do not list a specific inventory number or detail any past or current exhibitions associated with the piece.

Overview

Karl Isakson’s 1916 oil painting, Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and the Back of a Chair, presents a modest arrangement of a vase of blossoms, a pitcher and assorted fruit set on a table, with the rear of a chair visible behind the composition. The muted palette of browns and grays, combined with a textured surface, creates a restrained, tranquil atmosphere.

Context

Isakson, a Swedish-born artist who spent most of his career in Denmark, was a pivotal figure in the country’s shift toward modernism. His still lifes, including this one, illustrate his engagement with contemporary artistic currents, particularly Cubism, while maintaining a focus on ordinary subjects.

Natură statică cu flori, Alexandru Ciucurencu

Artist & collection

Artist

Karl Isakson

Karl Oscar Isakson (16 January 1878, in Stockholm – 19 February 1922) was a Swedish painter who spent much of his professional life in Denmark where he is considered to be one of the fathers of Modernism.