Composition with lemons and poppy 1966

Henri Catargi made this oil painting, ‘Composition with Lemons and Poppy,’ with an intuitive approach that shows a deep understanding of artmaking as a process. The material aspects of this work are so tactile. Look at the thickness of the paint, how it sits on the canvas – you can almost feel the texture. The color palette is restrained, but so effective. See the lemons? They're not just yellow; they're a mix of yellows, greens, and browns, giving them depth and weight. The brushstrokes around the poppy, they are rough and immediate, like Catargi was capturing a fleeting moment. This reminds me a bit of Morandi’s still life paintings, the way he reduces objects to their essence, exploring the subtle relationships between form and color. Art is an ongoing conversation. We are always looking back and answering each other’s questions with paint.