The artwork titled “Still Life with Skull” was created by Paul Cézanne in the year 1898. This oil on canvas painting belongs to the Post-Impressionism movement, exemplifying the genre of vanitas—a symbolic work of art showing the transience of life. The size of the artwork is 65.4 cm by 54.3 cm. “Still Life with Skull” is housed in the Barnes Foundation, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
The artwork presents a somber still life arrangement on a tabletop. The composition includes a human skull at the centre, angled slightly to the side, allowing viewers to observe its hollow eye sockets and the curvature of its form. The skull rests on a crumpled piece of white cloth, which provides a stark contrast to the dark tones of the background and the earthy colors of the table. To the right of the skull is a cluster of fruits, including oranges, apples, and pears. These are rendered with robust, defining brushstrokes characteristic of Cézanne’s style, emphasizing the physicality of the objects while flirting with abstraction. A dark green plant with large leaves complements the fruit, enhancing the natural elements within the scene. The juxtaposition of the life-giving fruits and the lifeless skull is typical of the vanitas theme, reminding viewers of the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death.
