Still Life on a Table by André Derain

This major composition shows the decisive influence of classical painting and Flemish still lifes on the artist’s aesthetic research during this period. In this abundance of objects, the master Derain André organizes a silent banquet scene under the title “Still Life on a Table” with an impressive geometric rigor. This work bears witness to his art of structuring the pictorial space through the orderly distribution of volumes.

A large table is covered with a thick light blue and white drapery, whose complex folds fall in a cascade in the foreground. On the table, we distinguish a light ceramic tureen, several bowls filled with colorful fruits like apples and grapes, as well as dark bottles. On the right, a large terracotta pitcher sits next to bluish vessels and pewter cups. The background, of a warm terracotta red, creates a striking thermal contrast with the cool shades of the blue drapery. The light generously envelops the scene, highlighting every detail of the table.

The painter’s virtuosity bursts in the extraordinary rendering of drapery and the variety of textures represented. This masterpiece attests to an immense expertise in the use of colors and in the balance of masses on the canvas.