Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 14: Still Life - The Basket of Apples

by Paul Cézanne

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the artwork's genre.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

French painter Paul Cézanne's still life, 'The Basket of Apples,' is a fascinating study of balance. Cookies balance crossways in orderly layers upon a plate. Contrasting the cookies, the bottle slightly tilts and the basket tips forward to spill out a jumble of apples. Even the table is disjointed, as if split into two pieces down the middle, higher on the right than the left.

Vocabulary

Still Life: A painting or drawing of an arrangement of objects, typically including fruit and flowers and objects contrasting with these in texture, such as bowls and glassware.
Balance: A condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.
Unbalance: A lack of symmetry, balance, or stability.
Disjointed: Lacking a coherent sequence or connection.

Concepts

1. Still life genre artwork features inanimate objects such as flowers, fruit, books, musical instruments, and bowls and other dinnerware.
2. Still lifes may include small bugs or other living creatures, but breathing, moving things are not the focus of paintings classified in the genre.
3. Although still lifes are not a well-respected form of painting artistically, still lifes sell well commercially.
4. Still lifes may contain animals, although the animals in still lifes are typically non-living unlike animal art where the animals are alive.
5. Four common types of still life include 1) Flowers, 2) Fruit, 3) Non-living animals, and 4) Symbolic.
6. See below examples of the four common types of still lifes: 1) Hans Memling's 'Vase of Flowers' (Flowers), 2) Fede Galizia's 'Maiolica Basket of Fruit' (Fruit), 3) Giacomo Francesco Cipper's 'Still Life of Fish and Shellfish' (Non-living animals), and 4) 'Vanitas' by Harmen Steenwijck (Symbolic).

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Zoom in to find the following in the artwork:

• Something Unbalanced
• Something Balanced
• Something Disjointed
• Something Stacked
• Something Draped
• Cookies
• Apples
• Bottle
• Basket
• Plate

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Map the Artist

Zoom in on the map of Europe to find the country of France.

Activity 4: Color France on the World Map   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 31 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Activity 5: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 32 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the artwork?

1 / 5

Answer 1

There are no human characters, which is typical of most still lifes.

1 / 5

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 5

Answer 2

The setting is most likely indoors in a green room with a table.

2 / 5

Question 3

Which items are unbalanced in the painting?

3 / 5

Answer 3

The basket and the bottle are unbalanced in the painting.

3 / 5

Question 4

Which items are balanced on top of one another in the painting?

4 / 5

Answer 4

The apples and cookies are balanced on top of one another.

4 / 5

Question 5

Into which genre is this painting classified?

5 / 5

Answer 5

This painting falls into the still life genre.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the artwork? There are no human characters, which is typical of most still lifes.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is most likely indoors in a green room with a table.
3. Which items are unbalanced in the painting? The basket and the bottle are unbalanced in the painting.
4. Which items are balanced on top of one another in the painting? The apples and cookies are balanced on top of one another.
5. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the still life genre.

References

'The Basket of Apples.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Still Life.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.