Apples 1916

Henri Matisse painted "Apples" with oil on canvas, now displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago. Dominating this still life is the motif of the apple, steeped in rich symbolism throughout history. Since ancient times, the apple has been a multifaceted symbol. We find it in the Garden of Eden, representing temptation and knowledge. The Greeks associated it with Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. In fairy tales, a poisoned apple brings about a deathlike sleep, signifying the loss of innocence. Consider the golden apples in the myth of the Hesperides, guarded with vigilance, promising immortality. The apple reappears through the ages in tapestries, paintings, and poems. The memory of the apple evokes a sense of primal desire, and a loss of innocence that resonates even today. It’s a fruit laden with a depth of meaning that engages viewers at a subconscious level. The symbols we encounter are never fixed, perpetually shifting in meaning. Just as the apple has been recontextualized time and again, it is this cyclical process of rediscovery and reinterpretation that breathes life into the motifs.