Still Life with Vegetables, Partridge, and a Jug1858 · Study 1980.242

Context from the museum

During the 19th century, a number of painters used common objects (rather than rare or refined objects) to create still lifes that some critics judged as unfit for the drawing room: studies of carrots, cabbages, asparagus, oysters, onions, eggs, and cooking utensils. Often these subjects were chosen for their mealtime associations. The food represented on the table in this painting—a partridge, onions, and cabbage—are the main ingredients for the well-known dish perdrix au chou (partridge with cabbage). Cals, however, was also interested in exploring underlying compositional design principles and studying the shapes of the objects he depicted. Cals lived and worked in and around Paris for most of his life, though in 1871 he moved to Normandy. In 1874 he participated in the first Impressionist exhibition and continued to do so until 1879. Although still lifes were an important part of his production, they were not his specialty. He preferred to work outdoors, in places chosen during his daily strolls. Art critic Edmond About, who was usually not very generous with compliments, characterized Cals as the most sincere and genuine artist he had ever known.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

In this painting, Cals even includes the metal pitcher that holds the liquid in which the perdrix au chou (partridge with cabbage) will be cooked.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Still Life with Vegetables, Partridge, and a Jug is 61 cm wide and 49.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 24.0 × 19.5 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 1.23:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.30 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 20.3% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 119.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Still Life with Vegetables, Partridge, and a Jug in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on fabric, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 61 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?