Artwork
Nature morte
Nature morte is an unspecified painting by the Cubism Synthetic artist Roger de La Fresnaye. It dates from 1910 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Roger de La Fresnaye’s 1910 work Nature morte is a modestly sized oil painting that belongs to the collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst. Executed in a limited palette of black, white and gray, the composition focuses on a tightly cropped arrangement of everyday objects rendered with a stark, almost photographic clarity.
Subject & Meaning
The central motif consists of a pair of hands clasping a bundle of slender, pale stems, set against a weathered stone wall intersected by a wooden beam. Adjacent to this, a metal bowl and spoon rest on a flat surface, suggesting a quiet, domestic still‑life that emphasizes the tactile qualities of ordinary materials.
Technique & Style
De La Fresnaye employs sharply defined, angular brushstrokes that give the forms a geometric rigidity, contrasting with the softer modeling typical of traditional still‑life. The paint is applied thinly, creating a smooth, matte surface rather than the thick impasto often associated with texture, which heightens the work’s austere, graphic character.
History & Provenance
Created early in de La Fresnaye’s career, Nature morte entered the Statens Museum for Kunst’s holdings in the mid‑20th century, where it has remained on view as part of the museum’s representation of early modern French painting. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s interest in works that bridge Impressionist realism and emerging Cubist tendencies.
Artist & collection
