Lot Essay
"STILL-LIFE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SPECIALITY OF BRAQUE'S GENIUS. SELDOM HAS PAINTING BEEN USED TO CONFER SO MUCH ENCHANTMENT ON SUCH ORDINARY THINGS: LOAVES OF BREAD, KNIVES, PACKETS OF CIGARETTES, FRUIT, FLOWERS, AND INNUMERABLE DOMESTIC ACCESSORIES... LIKE CHARDIN BEFORE HIM, BRAQUE TAKES US INTO THE SALON, THE KITCHEN, THE BEDROOM, THE DINING-ROOM, EVEN INTO HIS OWN STUDIO IN PURSUIT OF REALITY: NOTHING IS TOO HUMBLE TO FIND A PLACE IN ONE OF HIS PICTURES....SO, FROM THE LOWLIEST OBJECTS BRAQUE EXTRACTS A NEW POETRY AS HE PAINTS, AND OUR EXPERIENCE OF THE WORLD BECOMES FULLER AND MORE EXCITING. IF WE WILL LOOK, BRAQUE WILL TEACH US TO SEE, AND THIS, AFTER ALL, IS THE HIGHEST FUNCTION OF THE TRUE ARTIST" (D. COOPER, 'GEORGES BRAQUE: THE EVOLUTION OF A VISION', EXH. CAT. G. BRAQUE, TATE GALLERY, LONDON, SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 1956, PP. 14-15).