28 by 21.5 cm.
This picture is characteristic of his style as it incorporates realistic elements of contemporary daily life, while also looking back at past masters such as Chardin or Vermeer to create subtle still life arrangements within the composition.
Provenance
Probably Bernheim Jeune
Henri Dansette (1899-1922)
Thence by descent to his wife, Madeleine Dansette (born Duquesne), 1922
Thence by descent
Catalogue note
Our painting is a typical example of Joseph Bail’s playful images of cooks that helped establish his artistic legacy. This picture is characteristic of his style as it incorporates realistic elements of contemporary daily life, while also looking back at past masters such as Chardin or Vermeer to create subtle still life arrangements within the composition.
Except for the playful cat, everything else is still. This sense of tranquility and order contrasts with the busy activities one would expect in a kitchen. The child cook is devoid of facial expressions that would suggest the difficulty of his labor, and instead exhibits a light-hearted attitude that is amplified by his grin as he amusedly watches the cat playing at his feet.
Daylight streaming through the window on the left casts a diagonal ray of sunshine across the scene. The light shining through the glass bottle in the background reveals its transparency, while making the copper cauldron shimmer. Meanwhile, the rest of the scene is dark with shadows. This savvy use of sharp contrasts, as seen in many realist paintings of the period, provides a warm and poetic atmosphere that invites contemplation. Our picture has a homelike feel, not startling or ambitious, but social and friendly.