This endearing oil painting reflects Alfred Maurer’s exploration of still life through a modern sensibility, whilst also capturing his interest in depicting simple domestic subjects with a lens of formal experimentation, showcasing his shift toward abstraction.

In this captivating work, one can see a sugar bowl (Un Sucrier) alongside three croissants painted with a modern twist that blurs the line between realistic depiction and conceptual forms. The subjects are sat upon a tablecloth of cobalt blues and white, an impressionistic porcelain pattern which compliments the warm amber tones in the pastries and the vibrant chartreuse green of the sugar bowl. A striking backdrop for such domestic objects. This painting is a brilliant portrayal of the significant departure from the more traditional approaches of still life painting, with the use of Fauvist and Cubist techniques which Maurer will have likely acquired from his Parisian peers such as Braque and Matisse at the time. By focusing on everyday objects, Maurer explores the relationships between shapes, colours, and textures, which was part of his broader engagement with the avant-garde movements of the time.

Adorned in an elegant gilt frame, Un Sucrier et Trois Croissants, c.1908 acts as a beautiful insight into Maurer’s shifting style whilst studying in Paris during a period of great change.