Alberto Magnelli

La Cafetière belongs to a series of still-lifes that Magnelli executed in 1913 and 1914, and is one of the most accomplished and boldest examples of the group. The imagery of this series comprises various everyday objects such as bottles, bowls, vases and coffee grinders, which are delineated in black contours and appear to be pasted against a strongly coloured background. With its pronounced outlines and geometric shapes, the present work is reminiscent of the collage technique, while at the same time anticipating Matisse’s cut-outs. The simplification of colour and form in La Cafetière and related still-lifes reflects the artist’s gradual shift towards abstraction that he embraced towards the end of 1914 and beginning of 1915.

Moving between his native Florence and Paris, Magnelli was inspired by the Italian artists of the Quattrocento, particularly Piero della Francesca and Paolo Ucello, while at the same time absorbing the influence of the avant-garde art he saw in Paris, where he befriended, among others, Pablo Picasso and Guillaume Apollinaire. The preference for geometric shapes and simplified forms is derived from the Cubist artists’ approach to pictorial composition, while the strong black outlines and large areas of unmodulated colour point to Matisse’s art. La Cafetière is a prime example of the way in which Magnelli was able to combine these disparate sources into a harmonious composition.