In the galleries of the Art Institute of Chicago hangs one of George Braque’s masterpieces, “Still Life with Fruit and String Instrument.” This revolutionary cubist piece explores new horizons for us to understand.

This work of art is associated with activity and offers the viewer almost too much to capture. In the center of the table you have a large fruit bowl on a stand with a variety of fruits. The grapes are clearly in the middle, while the pear is on the left edge of the fruit bowl. At the bottom left of the fruit stand is the guitar or lute face up on the table. In front of the viewer, on the table closest to the plane of the image, there is a plate with a lemon and a fruit. The plate rests on a roll of papers that looks like music. Looking to the right, an uncut lemon is seen resting on papers that have parallel lines inscribed that represent a musical score. The same goes for the wine jug just above the lemon and also the orange and wine glass on the far right.

On the back of the table, both the left and right side, there are two images. The one on the left is a red bean-shaped figure that I perceive as the musician. Complementing this figure on the back right of the table is a triangular figure in yellow with zigzags and dots. I perceive that it is a colleague who enjoys her friend’s food and music.

The back wall of the scene is complex and busy, you can see the plinth of the wall and the floor along the bottom of the figure in red and then continue from the other side of the table to the right of the triangle figure . then off the canvas. No attention is paid to keeping the horizon line of the floor aligned with each side, the point is to secure the back plane of the table.

Throughout the painting you have zig-zag patterns that permeate the entire fabric of the work and give a great visual stimulus to the piece. All the zigzag patterns are compartmentalized, as you can see from the three panels on the back wall, the triangle figure on the right, and the fruit bowl impaled by dorsal fin-shaped patterns. This is wonderful and thought-provoking work and is a milestone in bringing cubist elements to the fore.

Stephen F. Condren – Artist