Pears, Peaches, and Pitcher 1927

Arshile Gorky made this still life, Pears, Peaches, and Pitcher, using oil on canvas. The canvas feels chalky and dry, like a fresco. I bet he applied the paint in thin layers, scrubbing at the surface, pushing the tones back and forth. I wonder what Gorky was thinking when he painted this? He’s known for his biomorphic surrealist paintings, but this looks like Cézanne, almost. Maybe Gorky wanted to learn from the master of still life and create his own personal interpretation of Cézanne’s painting. Look how he’s built up the pitcher from so many different shades of grey-brown, and how these echo the tints on the wall behind. I like the juicy touches of red and yellow, and the loose brushstrokes that give the fruits their plumpness. It reminds me that artists are always in conversation with one another, borrowing and transforming ideas across time. It’s like we’re all turning the same soil, replanting the seeds, hoping something new will grow.