1908 Poissons et bouteilles Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Period of creation: 1908-1918

Here we observe a still life composition arranged on what appears to be a table surface rendered in muted orange tones. The arrangement is dominated by several vessels – bottles and jugs – alongside glassware, fruit, and fish contained within a bowl. A palpable sense of fragmentation pervades the scene; forms are not presented as solid, unified objects but rather as collections of planes and angles.
The artist has employed a restricted palette primarily consisting of blues, grays, greens, and browns, contributing to an overall somber and subdued atmosphere. Light is not depicted realistically; instead, it seems to emanate from multiple sources, casting shadows that further distort the perception of depth and volume. The fish within the bowl are rendered with simplified shapes, their forms echoing the geometric breakdown evident in the other objects.
The composition’s structure lacks a clear focal point. Instead, the eye is drawn across the surface, encountering various elements without a definitive hierarchy. This deliberate dispersal of visual interest suggests an intention to challenge traditional notions of perspective and representation. The overlapping planes create ambiguity; it becomes difficult to discern which object occupies foreground or background space.
Subtly, there’s a sense of melancholy conveyed through the muted colors and fractured forms. The arrangement feels less like a celebration of abundance and more like a deconstruction of everyday objects, hinting at themes of impermanence and the fragility of perception. The bowl containing the fish might be interpreted as a symbol of containment or limitation, while the bottles could represent vessels of memory or experience. Ultimately, the work seems to explore the nature of representation itself, questioning how we perceive and interpret the world around us through visual means.