This still life by Israeli artist Yoël Benharrouche presents a familiar arrangement of objects through a distinctive modern visual language. Measuring 46 × 54 cm, the oil painting brings together a table, a coffee pot, cups, a plate of fruit, and small decorative details. However, rather than aiming for a strictly realistic representation, Benharrouche transforms the scene through expressive colour, simplified forms, and an inventive composition.
Table of Contents
The table occupies most of the canvas and creates a strong central focus. Moreover, its deep blue surface contrasts with the pale background, allowing the objects to stand out clearly. The artist arranges the elements across the tabletop, balancing the coffee pot on the left with the fruit bowl near the upper centre and a cup and saucer on the right. A small piece of fruit in the foreground adds another point of colour and visual interest.
Colour, Geometry, and Composition
Benharrouche builds the composition around different shades of blue, from deep cobalt to softer, lighter tones. In addition, he introduces white, yellow, green, and touches of red and orange. These colours create contrast while maintaining a sense of unity throughout the painting.
The artist also simplifies the objects into clear geometric shapes. The coffee pot, cups, plates, and fruit remain recognisable, yet their outlines and proportions are deliberately stylised. Furthermore, the table itself appears almost circular, while the surrounding decorative patterns create a rhythmic frame around the central arrangement.
The background combines a pale, luminous area with small, loosely painted forms that suggest flowers or butterflies. These details introduce movement and lighten the otherwise concentrated blue composition. Consequently, the painting moves beyond a conventional depiction of a meal or coffee setting and becomes an exploration of colour, shape, and visual relationships.
Yoël Benharrouche and His Artistic Language
Born in Beersheva in 1961, Yoël Benharrouche studied art in Nice, France, where he also taught drawing and painting. He later returned to Israel in 1993. His artistic practice brings together figurative imagery, expressive colour, and geometric abstraction. Moreover, his work often explores the relationship between the material world and spiritual experience.
Benharrouche draws inspiration from Jewish tradition and religious texts, while also engaging with the visual language of modern artists such as Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miró. His compositions frequently combine recognisable subjects with simplified forms and vivid colour. This approach is also evident in the present still life, where everyday objects become part of a carefully structured and imaginative visual arrangement.
Discover the Work at Kings Gallery
This oil painting by Yoël Benharrouche measures 46 × 54 cm. Its combination of a familiar domestic subject, expressive blue tones, and stylised forms offers an engaging example of the artist’s approach to contemporary figurative painting.
For further information about this artwork, please contact Kings Gallery.
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Kings Gallery presents a selection of Israeli and international art, bringing together works by established and emerging artists. The gallery offers collectors the opportunity to explore a diverse range of styles, subjects, and artistic approaches.