Still Life. Lilacs in two baskets. - Pyotr Konchalovsky

A 1939 oil painting by Pyotr Konchalovsky featuring two baskets of lilacs, rendered with a tactile, impasto technique and a focus on structural form.

Pyotr Konchalovsky, a founding member of the Jack of Diamonds group, produced this study of lilacs in 1939. The work demonstrates his characteristic approach to the still life genre, which he favoured throughout his career. Konchalovsky often returned to the subject of flowers, using them to explore colour relationships and the physical properties of paint on canvas. The composition features two woven baskets overflowing with lilac blossoms in various shades of purple, violet, and white. The artist employs a tactile, impasto technique, building up the surface of the canvas to give the petals a sense of volume and weight. The background is rendered in a neutral, muted tone, which allows the chromatic intensity of the flowers to dominate the visual field. The table surface provides a dark, grounding element, contrasting with the lighter, airy quality of the floral arrangements. Konchalovsky was heavily influenced by the structural rigour of Paul Cézanne, and this influence is visible in the way he constructs the forms of the baskets and the table. Rather than seeking a purely photographic representation, he focuses on the solidity of objects and the interplay of light across their surfaces. The brushwork is deliberate and rhythmic, creating a sense of movement within the static arrangement. This piece reflects the artist's mature period, where his earlier avant-garde tendencies merged with a more traditional, observational approach to painting. The work remains a clear example of his ability to transform a domestic subject into a study of form and texture.