Still Life with Lobster 1907

Curator: This is Mikhail Larionov’s "Still Life with Lobster," painted in 1907. Editor: It's wonderfully odd, isn't it? That vibrant red lobster just pops against the chaotic wallpaper. A bizarre picnic indoors. Curator: The work definitely exhibits elements of Fauvism in its use of bold, non-naturalistic color. And it shows influences from Intimism with the quiet domestic scene, yet also embraces the radicalism of Russian Avant-Garde by playing with spatial conventions, and it seems that the materiality of the bottles interests him too. Editor: I love that you called out spatial conventions. My eye darts from that wonderfully rendered lobster to the countryside reflected in the oval mirror on the wall. Is it winter outside? Curator: Most likely. That tension between the opulent meal and the humble reflected landscape underscores the painting's connection to the rising merchant class of Moscow, indulging in luxury goods while surrounded by the products of peasant labor. The use of Oil paints suggests that it could be quite costly, or have had a long production timeline. Editor: See, I immediately thought of a stage set – a deliberately constructed, almost theatrical display. Even that ordinary loaf of bread seems… staged. Maybe this reflects a desire for spectacle, but is held back by the need to stay domestic. It’s quite sad, I think. Curator: Yes, there's a tension present. Look how the flat, patterned background clashes with the perspectival space of the table, disrupting any sense of harmonious composition. We see this clash of styles throughout the movement, due to differing availabilities of styles and production pipelines. Editor: It makes the scene feel so transient, almost a fleeting dream. The harsh colour of the lobster may indicate how these rapid material advances might cause psychological impacts in artists too. A curious blend of allure and unease. Curator: Indeed. These items and the production are a testament to change in artistic tastes and industrial advancement. Editor: I'm going to be thinking about that lobster for a while. It tells such a complicated story about the nature of aspiration, luxury, and a sort of melancholic beauty.