The Basket of Apples

I am full of bright, happy colors. I have round, red apples that look so yummy you might want to take a bite. They are shiny and red. There is a big white cloth that looks soft and crinkly, like a big blanket. My basket tips and wobbles in a funny way, almost like it's dancing. I am a painting called 'The Basket of Apples'. I love showing you my cheerful, tilted world where everything is playful and fun.

A kind man with a big, fluffy beard made me. His name was Paul Cézanne. He painted me a long, long time ago, around the year 1893. Paul didn't use a ruler to make my lines straight. He thought that was boring. Instead, he used his paintbrush to show you how the apples felt. He wanted you to feel how heavy and round they were. He looked at everything for a very long time, with his eyes wide open. Then he painted not just what he saw, but how he felt about it. That’s why my table looks a little crooked and my bottle leans to one side. He wanted me to be interesting and full of happy surprises for you to find.

Before I was made, many paintings looked very still and perfect, like a picture you take with a camera. But I showed everyone that it’s fun to see things differently. My wobbly lines and bright colors showed other painters that they could be playful too. It helped them feel brave enough to paint what they felt in their hearts. Today, when you look at me, I hope I make you smile. I hope I help you see that even a simple basket of apples can be a big, exciting adventure. I remind you to look closely at the world and find the fun and beauty in all the shapes and colors around you, every single day.