Still Life with Apples 1915

Othon Friesz made this still life with apples using oil on canvas. I love the way he’s not trying to trick us with illusion, the paint stays paint. You can see how he's put it down, one stroke at a time. Look at that teapot, how the different colors and marks sit on top of each other, creating this wonderful, kind of wobbly form. It's not about getting it "right," it's about the joy of building something with color and texture. It's like he's saying, "Here are some objects, but really, this is about the act of painting itself." The brushstrokes are visible and deliberate, almost like he wants us to see his thinking, his process. Friesz reminds me of Cezanne, the way he’s taking these everyday objects and making them monumental through the sheer force of his painting. And just like Cezanne, Friesz is less concerned with perfection and more interested in the raw, honest expression of seeing and feeling.