Still Life with Coffee Set and Apples by Alexander Kanoldt
Description: "Still Life with Coffee Set and Apples" by Alexander Kanoldt is a striking example of the New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit) movement, known for its clear, precise, and almost clinical approach to everyday objects. Painted in the 1920s, this work depicts a carefully arranged composition featuring a coffee set, including a pot, cups, and saucers, alongside a few apples on a flat surface. The painting captures the objects with meticulous detail, emphasizing their forms, textures, and the play of light and shadow across their surfaces. The composition is balanced and symmetrical, with a focus on geometric simplicity and a limited color palette, mainly featuring muted tones of white, gray, brown, and red. The restrained use of color and the crisp lines convey a sense of clarity and order, turning ordinary objects into subjects of contemplation.
Kanoldt’s "Still Life with Coffee Set and Apples" reflects the core principles of the New Objectivity movement, which sought to return to a straightforward, factual representation of reality, moving away from the emotional intensity of Expressionism. The painting’s precise rendering and lack of embellishment allow the viewer to focus on the quiet beauty of the everyday objects, celebrating their simplicity and function. By isolating these objects in a sparse setting, Kanoldt transforms them into symbols of the modern, orderly domestic world, highlighting his skill in creating an atmosphere of calm and introspection.
Alexander Kanoldt (1881–1939) was a German painter and a prominent member of the New Objectivity movement, which emerged in Germany in the 1920s as a reaction against the subjectivity of Expressionism. Kanoldt was known for his still lifes and landscapes, characterized by their formal precision, structured compositions, and muted color palettes. His works often depict everyday objects with an objective clarity that invites viewers to reconsider the mundane and find beauty in simplicity and order.
Details:
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Location and Date Created: Germany, 1920s.
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Medium: Oil on canvas.
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Full Artwork Name: Still Life with Coffee Set and Apples by Alexander Kanoldt.
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Artwork Style: New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit) with elements of realism.
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Subject/Topic: A still-life composition featuring a coffee set and apples, rendered with meticulous attention to detail and a focus on clarity and simplicity.