MUHL Roger

MUHL Roger

Roger MUHL (1929–2008)

Title: Les Fruits (inscribed on the reverse)

Oil on canvas depicting a still life of fruit arranged on a white platter.
Signed lower left.

Dimensions: 21½ × 18 in. (55 × 46 cm).

The reverse bears the artist's studio inscription "SR1 – Les Fruits."

This painting has been authenticated by the artist's son and will be included in the forthcoming Catalogue Raisonné of Roger Muhl, currently in preparation.

Executed in Roger Muhl's distinctive lyrical style, Les Fruits is a beautifully restrained still life that transforms a familiar subject into an elegant meditation on light, color, and form. Rather than pursuing meticulous realism, Muhl reduces the composition to its essential elements, allowing the fruit to emerge through broad, textured brushstrokes and subtle tonal harmonies.

Dominated by luminous ochres, warm golds, soft greys, and muted earth tones, the composition radiates a quiet, intimate atmosphere. The plate of fruit occupies the center of the canvas with remarkable simplicity, while the expansive background, treated with delicate variations of color and texture, creates a sense of space and tranquility. Thick impasto enriches the surface, catching the light and giving the fruit a sculptural presence that contrasts beautifully with the softer passages surrounding it.

The restrained palette and balanced composition demonstrate Muhl's exceptional ability to elevate an everyday subject into a work of remarkable poetic sensitivity. His treatment of light is particularly striking, bathing the still life in a warm, diffused glow that recalls the quiet luminosity found throughout his finest paintings.

The studio inscription Les Fruits on the reverse preserves the artist's original title for the work, while its authentication by the artist's son and forthcoming inclusion in the Catalogue Raisonné provide an important level of scholarly recognition and confirm its place within Roger Muhl's documented oeuvre.

The painting has been professionally cleaned, revealing the freshness and richness of Muhl's original palette while preserving the integrity of its beautifully textured surface.

A refined and highly evocative example of Roger Muhl's still-life paintings, Les Fruits combines painterly elegance, exceptional atmosphere, and outstanding scholarly documentation, making it a particularly desirable work for collectors of post-war French painting.

Price : Upon Request

Materials / Techniques: Oil on canvas

Condition: Original condition, fully cleaned

Measurements: 21½ × 18 in. (55 × 46 cm).