Plate of Peaches
Currently on view
Gustave Caillebotte (1848 - 1894), Paris, c. 1882
oil on canvas, 38 cm x 46.4 cm
Credits: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (purchased with support from the VriendenLoterij)
Caillebotte masterfully captured the velvety texture of peaches in a lifelike way. He layered loose brushstrokes in different colours to create subtle nuances of tone, omitting contour lines altogether. The rounded shape is suggested by the way the fresh orange bleeds into deep reds and purples.
The vibrant colours of the peaches are further emphasised by the bright white of the background. Whether it is a tablecloth or white tiles remains unclear due to the cropping of the composition. This creates a flattening effect, for which Caillebotte was inspired by the then-popular Japanese woodblock prints. Even in a traditional genre such as still life, Caillebotte reveals his distinctly modern approach.
- Object number
- s0546S2019
- Dimensions
- 38 cm x 46.4 cm, 49.5 cm x 57.5 cm, 8.5 cm
- artist
- Gustave Caillebotte
- Credits
- Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (purchased with support from the VriendenLoterij)
Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, Ongekend. Verhalen rond 10 jaar aanwinsten, 5 February-12 September 2021
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Gustave Caillebotte : urban impressionist, 22 June-10 September 1995
Friedrich, F., Wuhrmann, Sylvie, Caillebotte : au coeur de impressionnisme, 2005, p. 130