The artist combines two classic painting genres (still life and nocturne) in one picture, emphasising this gesture with the title of the painting. A still life composed of jugs and clay vessels on a table is in the foreground. They are accompanied by an object from another ‘order’ — a shell, the smallest of all the objects, placed in the lower left corner of the painting. The composition is unevenly lit from the front, resulting in reflections in the glazed surface of the jugs and mugs. At the same time, light also comes from the back, as evidenced by the shadows cast by the objects. The dishes may have been left out after a prior feast or another social meeting. Equally important is the background of the painting — the landscape accompanying this unusual scene. The artist depicts the liminal moment between day and night with a dramatic composition of dark clouds, light peeking out from behind them. The landscape element are the trees, shrouded in darkness, and the waves of the rough sea with glints of light. The masterfully composed scene, painted using contrasts and compositional virtuosity, is enigmatic in its expression, as if we were dealing with a drama that has just happened or is about to play out.

Michał Jachuła

translated by Paulina Bożek