1943 Nature morte Е la cruche et au verre * Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1943-1961

The composition presents a still life arrangement rendered in a fractured and fragmented style. Here we observe several objects – a glass, a pitcher, and what appears to be a bowl or fruit – deconstructed into geometric planes and presented from multiple viewpoints simultaneously. The artist has abandoned traditional perspective, instead opting for a flattened pictorial space where the foreground and background seem to merge.
The color palette is dominated by ochre, yellow, gray, and blue-green hues, contributing to a muted and somewhat somber atmosphere. Light plays an important role; it illuminates certain facets of the objects while leaving others in shadow, further emphasizing their angularity and complexity. The brushwork appears deliberate, with visible strokes that add texture and dynamism to the surface.
The arrangement itself is not naturalistic. Objects are superimposed and interpenetrate one another, creating a sense of visual density and ambiguity. The glass, for instance, is depicted as both cylindrical and flattened, its form shifting depending on the viewer’s perspective. Similarly, the pitchers curves are broken down into angular segments, disrupting any easy recognition of its shape.
Beyond the purely formal elements, the work seems to explore themes of perception and representation. The fragmentation of objects suggests a questioning of traditional notions of reality and how we perceive it. By dismantling familiar forms, the artist invites the viewer to actively reconstruct them, engaging in an intellectual exercise rather than simply observing a straightforward depiction.
The limited color range and the overall sense of stillness might also evoke feelings of introspection or melancholy. The absence of any human presence further contributes to this contemplative mood, focusing attention solely on the interplay of forms and colors within the confined space of the canvas. Ultimately, the painting is less about depicting specific objects than it is about exploring the possibilities of visual language and challenging conventional ways of seeing.