Three Pears

1878/1879

Paul Cezanne

Painter, French, 1839 - 1906

Three whole, green pears against a caramel-brown background fill this horizontal still life painting. The painting was created with long, parallel, visible brushstrokes throughout, and a strip of unpainted canvas lines the top edge. We look slightly down onto the fruit, which was painted with thick strokes of lemon-lime, asparagus, and spring green, and each piece of fruit is outlined with navy blue. The two pears to either side stand up and the third, between them, lies on the table with its brown stem angled to our left.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

  • Dimensions

    overall: 20 x 25.7 cm (7 7/8 x 10 1/8 in.)
    framed: 37.47 x 43.5 x 6.35 cm (14 3/4 x 17 1/8 x 2 1/2 in.)

  • Accession

    2006.128.14


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Paul Mellon [1907-1999], Upperville, Virginia; bequest 1999 to NGA, with life interest to Mrs. Mellon; life interest released 2006.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1920

  • Biennale, Venice, 1920, no. 8.

1939

  • Valentine Gallery, New York, 1939, unnumbered catalogue, repro.

1952

  • Fine Arts Associates, New York, 1952, no. 3, repro.

2013

  • Intimate Impressionism from the National Gallery of Art, Museo dell'Ara Pacis Augustae, Rome (exhibition title in this venue: Impressionist Gems); California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco; McNay Art Museum, San Antonio; Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo, Seattle Art Museum, 2013-2016, pl. 48.

Wikidata ID

Q20188844


You may be interested in

Loading Results