Nature morte aux poires 1928

Curator: This is Jean Fautrier’s "Nature morte aux poires," painted in 1928 using oil paints. Editor: Pears in purgatory, maybe? It’s strangely melancholic for a still life; I’m immediately struck by that dominant, somber palette. Curator: It's interesting that you find it melancholic; one could also read the rough handling of the paint itself, the layering and almost violent application of the medium, as indicative of the anxieties and upheavals of the interwar period in Europe. Fautrier’s engagement with materiality conveys the socio-political atmosphere. Editor: Perhaps. I'm also thinking about the obscured glass – it looks almost threatening, looming there. And those dark blue, almost black leaves… Are they leaves? There is a real tension between the mundane subject matter, and the emotive weight that he is adding to it. Curator: And that tension is entirely intentional, isn’t it? Fautrier breaks with the prevailing conventions of the still life tradition, pushing beyond mere representation. The very act of painting becomes an existential act, wrestling with the psychological landscape. What's significant is that these objects and compositions offered Fautrier a safe space for exploration of material expression. Editor: I see that. So, the choice of pears or flowers isn’t particularly… meaningful? They are not loaded symbols in and of themselves, but blank canvases for expressing feeling through texture, color, and form. He transforms something expected into a vehicle for deep, raw feeling. The material almost swallows the objects, right? Curator: Precisely. Fautrier elevates the status of the paint. Through process he transforms the work into something potent, an object deeply impacted by the forces that were moving through him and through the wider world. Editor: I'm left with a newfound respect for this seemingly simple still life. It whispers secrets about survival. Thank you, Jean. Curator: Indeed. By looking closely at "Nature morte aux poires", we can truly appreciate the depths that even everyday objects can plumb through the hands of a dedicated painter, someone who prioritizes materiality above all else.