Fischstillleben mit Zitrone

Art Historical Context

Henri Victor Gabriel Le Fauconn’s *Fischstillleben mititrone* (Fish Still Life with Lemon), painted in 1921, the intimate beauty of everyday objects in oil on canvas. Measuring 38.4 x 55.5 cm, this modest-scale work belongs to the Belvedere Collection in Vienna, showcasing the French artist’s post-Cubist exploration of form and texture. Le Fauconnier, a figure in early Cubism and the Section d’Or group alongside artists like Léger and Gleizes, here turns his analytical eye to a classic still life motif: gleaming fish and a vibrant lemon, rendered with a refined sense of volume and light. Completed just after World War I, the painting reflects the "return to order" in European art, blending Cubist fragmentation with more naturalistic clarity. Oil on canvas allowed Le Fauconnier to achieve luminous highlights on the fish’s scales and the lemon’s juicy translucency, techniques honed during his Cubist phase. This shift highlights his versatility, moving from abstract geometric experiments to evocative realism. Housed in Vienna’s Belvedere, the work bridges French modernism and Austrian collections, inviting visitors to savor its tactile details. A testament to still life’s enduring appeal, it reminds us how ordinary subjects can reveal profound artistic depth.