1907 Cruche, bol et citron Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1889-1907

The composition presents a still life arrangement rendered in a fractured and angular style. Here we observe three distinct objects: a vessel, a bowl, and a citrus fruit, all situated upon what appears to be draped fabric. The color palette is dominated by greens, yellows, oranges, blues, and grays, applied with visible brushstrokes that contribute to the overall sense of fragmentation.
The vessel, centrally positioned, displays a complex geometry. Its form isnt presented as a unified whole but rather as an assemblage of planes, suggesting multiple viewpoints simultaneously. The green hue is not uniform; it shifts in tone and intensity across its surfaces, further emphasizing this deconstruction of form.
To the right of the vessel sits a bowl, similarly broken down into geometric facets. Its color scheme incorporates oranges and reds, creating a visual contrast with the cooler tones of the vessel. A citrus fruit rests within the bowl, its yellow surface also fragmented and rendered in sharp angles. The arrangement suggests an intentional disruption of traditional perspective and spatial relationships.
The fabric beneath the objects is not depicted as a continuous plane but rather as a series of overlapping shapes in blues and grays. These forms contribute to the overall sense of instability and visual complexity.
Subtly, the painting seems to explore themes of perception and representation. The artist appears less interested in depicting the objects realistically than in analyzing their constituent forms and presenting them in a new, abstracted manner. This approach challenges conventional notions of beauty and harmony, instead prioritizing intellectual engagement over purely aesthetic appeal. The deliberate distortion and fragmentation could be interpreted as an attempt to convey the inherent instability of visual experience or perhaps to question the very nature of representation itself. Theres a sense of controlled chaos; while the forms are fractured, their arrangement maintains a certain balance, preventing the composition from dissolving into complete disarray.