Fruit, Knife and Napkin - Albert Marquet
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A classic Fauvist still life by Albert Marquet, featuring a collection of fruit and a napkin rendered with expressive, broken brushstrokes.
Albert Marquet, a contemporary and close associate of Henri Matisse, produced this still life during the height of the Fauvist movement. The work demonstrates the characteristic approach of the period, where artists prioritised the expressive potential of colour over traditional representational accuracy. Marquet employs a technique of short, broken brushstrokes that create a sense of movement across the surface of the canvas.
The composition features a collection of fruit arranged upon a patterned cloth, with a knife partially visible at the lower right. Rather than seeking a smooth, blended finish, Marquet allows the individual marks of the brush to remain visible. This method creates a textured surface that interacts with the light, giving the objects a physical presence. The background is composed of a dense, mosaic-like application of pigment, which contrasts with the more defined forms of the pears and apples in the foreground.
While Marquet is often associated with his later, more restrained harbour scenes, this early work captures the experimental spirit of the Fauves. The palette is composed of warm oranges and reds, balanced by cooler greens and purples. These colours are applied with a directness that avoids excessive detail, focusing instead on the relationship between the objects and the surrounding space. The napkin, rendered with quick, gestural strokes, provides a neutral anchor for the more saturated tones of the fruit. This piece offers a clear view into the early twentieth-century shift toward subjective colour and simplified form, reflecting the artist's interest in the immediate visual experience of his subjects.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Fruit, Knife and Napkin - Albert Marquet
Artist Biography
Albert Marquet
Marquet was born in Bordeaux on 27 March 1875, the son of a railway clerk. His mother moved the family to Paris to support his artistic education, and he enrolled at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs in 1890, where he met Henri Matisse; the friendship lasted the rest of his life. The two painters shared studios and worked side by side for years, but their mature styles could scarcely be more different. Where Matisse reached for triumphant colour, Marquet worked with grey haze, snow light, and the tonal restraint of an elevated viewpoint over water.
His approach is visible in "The Beach at Fécamp" (1906, 51 x 61 cm, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Paris): the beach runs diagonally, figures and boats reduced to laconic dark brushstrokes, with only two sailors' blue collars and a red flag providing any colour accent. Similar economy governs the Paris quai paintings in the State Hermitage: "Rainy Day. Notre Dame de Paris" (1910, 81 x 66 cm) and "Louvre Embankment and the New Bridge" (1906, 60 x 73 cm), where cold grey mist substitutes for the chromatic intensity his contemporaries were deploying elsewhere.
He continued working until days before his death. Returning from an operation on 31 January 1947, he immediately picked up his brush to capture falling snow from his apartment window at 1 Rue Dauphine, Paris. He died there on 14 June 1947.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
Fast Shipping
Museum-Quality Materials
You May Also Like