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The Watering Can (Emblems: The Garden) by La Fresnaye, Roger de

La Fresnaye, Roger de · 1913

Roger de La Fresnaye's 1913 painting, The Watering Can (Emblems: The Garden), is a masterful example of how everyday objects can be transformed through abstraction. Housed in a museum, this oil on canvas work invites viewers to reconsider familiar forms.

Notice how La Fresnaye employs bold, unmodulated colors and simplified, geometric shapes. The watering can, the garden rake, and even the clouds are rendered as distinct, almost sculptural elements, highlighting the artist's unique visual language.

La Fresnaye was active during a period of significant artistic experimentation. His approach in this painting, with its flat planes of color and attenuated forms, reflects a modern reinterpretation of the still life genre, pushing the boundaries of representation.

What do you see when familiar objects are presented in an entirely new way?

Details

Look closely at this watering can, from 1913.
Look closely at this watering can, from 1913.
Every object here is broken down into geometric forms.
Every object here is broken down into geometric forms.
Even the clouds are abstract, almost sculptural shapes.
Even the clouds are abstract, almost sculptural shapes.
Transcript

Look closely at this watering can, from 1913. This painter uses bold, flat colors and simplified shapes. Every object here is broken down into geometric forms. Even the clouds are abstract, almost sculptural shapes. His distinctive style captures everyday objects anew.