A 1917 still life by Moïse Kisling, featuring a white pitcher and fruit on a striped cloth, rendered with the artist's characteristic focus on volume and form.

Moïse Kisling, a central figure of the School of Paris, produced this still life in 1917. The composition features a white ceramic pitcher placed alongside a shallow dish containing fruit. The objects rest upon a table covered by a cloth with a distinct red-striped pattern and a fringed edge. Behind the table, the background is divided into two vertical sections: a warm, textured brown curtain on the left and a deep, saturated blue panel on the right.

Kisling employs a firm, structured approach to form. The brushwork is deliberate, creating a sense of weight and physical presence for the pitcher and the rounded fruit. The colour palette balances the warm tones of the fruit and the curtain against the cool, dark blue of the background and the dark grapes. The artist avoids excessive detail, focusing instead on the solidity of the objects and the interplay of light across their surfaces. The composition is grounded by the horizontal plane of the table, which contrasts with the vertical lines of the background drapery.

This work reflects the artist's engagement with the traditions of European painting while maintaining the stylistic independence characteristic of his period in Montparnasse. Kisling was known for his ability to synthesise influences from his contemporaries, including the structural rigour of Cubism and the expressive colour usage of Fauvism, into a personal style that remained accessible and grounded in observation. The painting demonstrates his interest in domestic subjects, rendered with a focus on volume and tactile quality. The arrangement of the fruit and the pitcher provides a study in geometric shapes, where the circular forms of the apples and grapes are set against the verticality of the pitcher and the folds of the fabric. The result is a balanced, composed image that prioritises clarity and form.