Art Essay Example: Still Life by Georges Braque

Interpretation of the Work Title

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Glass and Fruit is given as the title because the main forms in the painting are glass and fruits

Elements of Work in the Painting

How is line employed in the work?

Straight lines are used to delineate polygons, which is a characteristic of cubism paintings

Does it seem to regulate or order the composition?

The line seems to regulate the composition

Does it seem to fragment the work?

The line fragments the work. Line is mostly used to mark the borders in the artwork that are accentuated by the difference in colors.

Is it consistent with traditional laws of perspective or does it violate them?

The painting adheres to the art of still life painting through the use of glass, knife and fruits as the main forms. Additionally, the painting is consistent with cubic style of art production drawing as portrayed by a polygonal table.

What is the relation of shape to space in the work?

The positive space is bigger as compared to the negative space. The objects in the painting occupy space depending on their relative sizes.

How do light and dark function in the work? Is there a great deal of tonal contrast, or is it held to a minimum?

Tonal contrast is represented by the varying shades of brown on various objects like the table and knife handle.

What is the predominant color scheme of the work? Are complementary or analogous colors employed?

The predominant color is brown. Cream and brown colors used in the painting are analogous

What other elements seem important? Is your attention drawn to the works texture? Does time seem an important factor in your experience of the work?

The most outstanding element of this work is contrast. Texture is remarkably applied in the artwork. There is no apparent consideration of time in this painting.

Principles of Design used to organize composition

Is there significant use of visual rhythm and repetition of elements?

Visual rhythms are not significantly used

Is the composition balanced? Symmetrically? Asymmetrically?

The painting depicts a Principle of Organization that includes line, balance and emphasis.

Do the works various elements seem proportional, and how does the question of scale affect your perception?

The fruits on the table appear significantly bigger as compared to their seeds.

Does the composition seem unified or not?

There is significant lack of unity, given that the seeds have been removed from the fruit. The knife on the table indicates lack of unity.

Has the artists choice of medium played a role in the presentation of the various elements and their organization or design?

Oil and sand have been superbly used to outline the difference in texture of the glass, table and the knife handle.

What is the meaning of the work? What is its content, as opposed to its subject matter?

The theme of the artwork is the philosophy in contrast that exists in the before and after situations. For example, before the fruits are minced to make a fruit juice cocktail, the seeds and the flesh are intact. However, after the flesh is blended into a juice, the seeds are exposed and are no longer attached to the fruit. The contents of the painting are fruits and a glass, as opposed to the symbolic subject matter which is contrast. According to Braque's life, nothing biographical is represented in the artwork. This work can be considered as social as opposed to political. Personally, the painting means that there are two sides of any situation or phenomenon. However, there is a relationship between the two sides that can be used to reconstruct the initial situation.