Juan Soler (1951) - Bodegón con orza y manzanas

Bodegón with jar and apples.

Author: Juan Soler (Madrid, 1951).
Signature: Hand-signed by the artist in the lower right corner ("Soler").
Era: Late 20th century.
School: Contemporary Spanish School.
Technique: Oil on canvas.
Support: Original wooden-stretcher canvas

Dimensions of the work: 57 x 46 cm.
Dimensions with frame (overall): 68 x 58 cm.

Artistic Description

This magnificent oil-on-canvas work by Juan Soler is an extraordinary example of contemporary still life that directly engages with the great tradition of Spanish still life painting from the 17th century.

The scene stands out for its studied economy of elements and its rigorous formal sobriety. On a wooden textured shelf or table, the artist places a traditional clay jar covered with a gathered white cloth, flanked by two apples (one green-yellow in the foreground and another red in shadow).

The central and most powerful element of the work is the superb use of chiaroscuro. Soler isolates the objects against an absolute, deep, flat black background. The light, sharp and coming from the left, strikes with force on the volumes, modeling the roundness of the ceramic and the fruit’s smooth skin. The play of light on the folds of the white cloth above demonstrates exceptional technical virtuosity, generating a strong chromatic contrast with the darkness of the background.

The brushwork is clean, neat, and highly controlled, achieving an astonishing material capture: one can visually perceive the roughness of the crock, the organic softness of the apples’ skin, and the textile quality of the canvas covering the vessel. Far from being a purely decorative exercise, the work conveys an atmosphere of silence, introspection, and classical serenity, qualities highly sought in the production of this esteemed Madrid artist.

Condition report

The work is in good general condition.

Canvas properly tensioned on the original stretcher.

Pictorial layer stable, with impasto texture typical of the technique used.

No significant losses or invasive restorations observed.

Classic gilded frame with slight signs of use appropriate to its age.

This is a piece ready to hang and enjoy without any intervention needed.

Shipping management

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Frame:

If the frame is specified by photo and card as included, it is attached as part of the sale and supplied as a gift accompanying the painting; no complaints or returns are accepted in the case of transit breakage.