Apples

Apples is an oil on canvas painting created by Gustave Courbet sometime between 1850 and 1899. This intimate still life resides in the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, reflecting the celebrated Realist painter's engagement with humble, everyday subject matter during the latter half of the 19th century.

The work exemplifies Courbet’s commitment to objective observation, focusing on the simple, yet profound, materiality of the fruit. In this piece, Courbet utilizes rich, dark pigments and characteristically heavy application of paint to convey the palpable textures of the apple skins and the subtle variations in their coloration. The arrangement of the Apples lacks the overt symbolic or moralistic commentary typical of earlier still life traditions, instead prioritizing the honest, unvarnished visual truth of the objects before him.

During a period marked by political upheaval and his later isolation, Courbet increasingly turned to still life compositions. These works allowed him to explore pure form and color, achieving a powerful sculptural presence even in seemingly straightforward depictions. The deliberate focus on texture and substance in this canvas is a hallmark of Courbet’s contribution to Realism, moving painting toward a modern, unidealized vision of the world. As a significant piece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s extensive holdings, this canvas is widely studied and referenced. High-quality prints of this masterwork are frequently available, as the image often falls under public domain usage guidelines, ensuring its continued dissemination and appreciation by global audiences.