Czóbel Béla Piros Kancsós Csendélet 

Bela Czobel composed this vibrant still life, likely in the early 20th century, using oil paint. At first glance, one is struck by its bold use of colour, especially the dominant reds and oranges. The composition teeters between representation and abstraction. The thick brushstrokes and flattened perspective work to dissolve the boundaries between objects. The red pitcher and the fruit bowl are not simply depicted, but reconstructed through colour and form. The pitcher, rather than being realistically rendered, becomes a focal point due to its intense hue and central placement. It anchors the composition. Czobel seems less interested in imitating reality and more focused on the interplay between form and colour. Note that, while the objects are recognizable, their forms are simplified. This echoes the formal experiments of movements like Fauvism, which prioritized expressive colour over realistic representation. The painting’s semi-abstract quality invites us to consider how colour and shape create meaning, challenging our expectations of traditional still life painting.