The artwork titled “Apples in a dish” is a quintessential example of Impressionism, painted by the renowned artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir in 1883. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 65 x 53.9 cm and is classified under the still life genre. It was created during a period when Impressionist painters sought to capture the effects of light and color in everyday scenes. The painting is part of the collection hosted at the Clark Art Institute, located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States.
The artwork features a vibrant display of apples arranged in a deep blue dish. The apples are painted with quick, dappled brushstrokes, exhibiting a range of warm hues from yellow to red with touches of green. The rich coloration of the fruit stands out against the softer, luminous background, imbued with creamy and pastel shades that suggest light filtering through a diffused atmosphere. Renoir’s skillful use of light and texture is evident, as he captures the roundness of the apples and the reflective quality of the dish’s glazed surface. The composition is anchored by a wooden surface beneath the dish, rendered with broader strokes that emphasize the textured grain of the wood. This still life celebrates not only the simple beauty of fruit but also the sensory pleasure of color and light, embodying the Impressionist movement’s fascination with the fleeting qualities of visual perception.
