Composition with lemons and poppy 1966

Henri Catargi made this painting of lemons and poppies with what looks like oil paint on a square canvas. It’s a still life, but not still at all. I can feel Henri in front of his subject matter, squinting, choosing the angle, the background. The flowers are like blobs of fire, contained in that sturdy white pitcher. The lemons, they're these solid, comforting presences. I imagine the light in the room, maybe he’s got a window behind him, casting shadows, making everything feel a little more alive. The brushstrokes are thick, especially on the cloth, you can almost feel the texture, the way it bunches up and folds. It’s not just about depicting objects; it's about capturing a moment, an exchange between the artist and what he sees. Painters, we’re always talking to each other, across time, across styles. Henri is speaking to Cezanne, maybe, or even back to Chardin. Each mark, each color, is part of the conversation, the long, beautiful, endless conversation of painting.