Compotier - Still life with fruit bowl

Dated 1932, Compotier was painted during the year that marked a breakthrough and a great change in Raoul Hynckes' art. Influenced by the cubism of Picasso, Braque and Gris and the post-cubist realism of Derain, Herbin and Severini, Hynckes had, since the second half of the 1920's, strived for bold compositions, built up through large contrasting forms. In 1932, however, Hynckes ventured into a new direction. He started painting realistic still lifes, characterized by their photographic precision, meticulous brush work and mysterious lighting. The enthusiastic Amsterdam art dealer Carel van Lier, with whom he had exhibited before, decided to give him a solo exhibition. His new work was critically acclaimed and, from that point onwards, Hynckes was in the same league as Koch, Schuhmacher and Willink. (Exh.cat. Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Magie en Zakelijkheid, Arnhem 1999, p. 178ff).

Hynckes' shift from Cubism to a more realistic style is evident in the present lot. The composition, with the table depicted from a high angle, is characteristic of his earlier work. But the way he has treated his imagery, the careful rendering of the details (particularly of the fruits and the artichokes) and the dramatic light bear witness of a new direction.