Garden Variations, Orange and Yellow

Joseph O’Sickey’s most celebrated canvases, such as Garden Variations: Orange and Yellow, are hybrid still life and landscape subjects that he arranged and painted in his backyard. A frequent motif in this body of work is a cloth-covered table prepared for entertainment that takes center stage. Here, the table displays a bowl of fruit, vases of flowers, and bottled beverages. As this painting’s title suggests, bold color is a prominent compositional feature, creating a festive feeling appropriate for an informal outdoor gathering.