Walt Kuhn (1877–1949) Still Life with Pears in Basket, 1947

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Walt Kuhn (1877–1949) Still Life with Pears in Basket, 1947
Oil on canvas
30 x 20 inches (framed: 37 x … Read more Walt Kuhn (1877–1949) Still Life with Pears in Basket, 1947
Oil on canvas
30 x 20 inches (framed: 37 x 27 x 2 inches)
Signed and dated lower right: “Walt Kuhn 1947”

Painted in 1947, just two years before his death, this compelling still life by Walt Kuhn represents a refined example of the artist’s late mature period. Best known as a principal organizer of the 1913 Armory Show and for his psychologically charged depictions of circus performers, Kuhn’s still lifes reveal a quieter but equally powerful exploration of form, color, and presence.

Here, a woven wicker basket brims with yellow pears blushed in red, set against a saturated green tabletop and a dark, atmospheric background. A white cloth cascades from the basket’s edge, introducing movement and sculptural rhythm to the composition. The fruit is rendered not as delicate botanical studies but as solid, weighty forms—modeled with bold contouring and deliberate brushwork. The restrained setting isolates the subject in a shallow, stage-like space, a compositional strategy Kuhn frequently employed in his figurative work.

The moody ground—subtly modulated in deep browns and olive tones—heightens the luminous quality of the pears, creating a striking contrast between light and shadow. This interplay reflects the introspective tenor of Kuhn’s late career, when still life became a vehicle for formal and psychological intensity.

Works by Kuhn reside in major institutional collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the National Gallery of Art. While his circus subjects often command the strongest market attention, late-period still lifes of this scale are comparatively scarce and offer collectors an opportunity to acquire a contemplative, fully resolved example of his mature style.

The canvas is presented in a gilt frame complementary to the period. Signed and dated lower right. See less