Etienne Morillon (1884–1949), Still Life

Oil on canvas. 53 x 65 cm. Signed lower left. With frame.
This still life by Etienne Morillon reflects the artistic maturity of the Lyonnais painter. The composition features a plate of fruit, a terracotta pitcher, a neatly arranged white cloth, and, in the background, a blue chair that structures the space and introduces a cool color contrast against the dominant ochre and brown tones of the painting.
Morillon pays great attention to texture and light: the subtle interplay of light and shadow enhances the volumes, while the tight framing and absence of superfluous details recall the influence of the classical masters of still life.
Cézanne's influence is evident in the structured construction of the composition, the use of simple geometric forms, the restrained color palette, and the sculptural treatment of matter. Like Cézanne, Morillon builds space through layered brushstrokes and a slightly shifted perspective, giving the scene both stability and harmony.Morillon studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Lyon and then in Paris. He befriended Utrillo and Derain and explored pointillism, Fauvism, and Cubism. He was one of the founding members of the Ziniars movement.
This painting thus illustrates Morillon’s ability to synthesize the contributions of early 20th-century avant-gardes with his own sensibility, favoring balance, simplicity, and harmony in form and color, while remaining firmly rooted in the tradition of great French still life painting.