Emil Filla (1882–1953) Still Life with a Crayfish

This work is a representative, exceptionally fine and rare example of Emil Filla’s still lifes from the mature period of the mid-1920s, when the artist developed the impulses of Cubism in his own distinctive way, transforming them into a highly individual style of painting, rich in sensory qualities.

Across the tabletop, Filla orchestrated an ingeniously constructed composition featuring the striking brick-red body of a crayfish, fruit, bottles and other tableware. He arranged the individual motifs into rhythmic areas of colour and firmly defined contours, without diminishing their tangible character or compelling material presence. Of particular importance here is the combination of oil paint, enamel and sand, characteristic of the artist’s work. The alternation of smooth, glossy passages with coarsely textured areas enhances the tactile quality of the painting, while the muted greens, ochres and greys serve to accentuate the rich red of the crayfish. The lines incised into the paint with the opposite end of the brush add a further dimension to the work’s richly developed material surface. This technique, characteristic of Filla, is used not only for the signature but also for the inscription on the bottle. The incised drawing introduces another distinctive structural element into the still life, resulting in a composition that combines a firm pictorial order with exceptional chromatic and sensory vitality. The fragmentary inscription D.O.M. on the bottle’s label also merits attention. The incorporation of lettering directly into the pictorial composition stemmed from Filla’s Cubist experience, in which fragments of words, labels and typographic elements became equal components of the composition.

The work’s significance is further enhanced by its remarkable provenance. It was offered for sale at Anna Baldová’s shop on Spálená Street in Prague before becoming part of the celebrated collection of JUDr. Jaroslav Borovička. It is now held in a distinguished Prague private collection. Its authenticity has been verified by the Filla Foundation, and the painting is included in the Foundation’s online catalogue raisonné. It was assessed during consultations with Prof. J. Zemina and PhDr. K. Srp. An expert opinion by Mgr. T. Mátl Donné is attached.