Still Life with Quinces

About this work

Henk Helmantel paints fruit; he paints pears, but he prefers painting quinces. This pear variety simply suits Henk best. They are serene, yet not boring. Every quince has its own asymmetry, indentations, and tensions that he can "exploit" artistically. The color of the quince is ideal for his palette: not garish, with nuances between warm and cool, and fitting the backgrounds he enjoys painting. And, of course, it also fits perfectly with the idiosyncratic choices the painter has been making his entire life. Where the masses ignore the quince, Henk elevates the pear above all other pears.