Still life 1921

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin made this still life with paint, exploring how a few colours can evoke a whole world. Notice how the blues and greens aren't just flat? They’re layered, like he’s feeling out the form as he goes, a real process at play. The surface is matte, chalky almost, which softens the edges and gives everything a quiet, contemplative mood. Look at the apple at the bottom, how the green seems to bloom out of a golden underlayer. It's not just colour, it's light pushing through. It’s like he’s searching for the essence of "apple-ness", or "egg-ness," through colour and form. This piece reminds me of Cézanne, who was also obsessed with apples and the challenge of representing three dimensions on a flat plane. Like with Cézanne, it’s not just about what’s depicted, but about the act of seeing, and how painting can be a way of thinking through the world. The painting invites you to consider that fixed meanings are not the point, but to feel something.