“Big Little Mandarin” – Still Life with Mandarin

The inspiration for this painting comes from the everyday — that moment when a mandarin segment lights up in soft daylight. Something small suddenly becomes big when you truly look. Anne Jurjen (Ajo) Oppedijk captures that stillness, letting the skin, fibers, and subtle glow speak as sculptures of light and shadow.

Medium: Oil on artboard
Artist: Anne Jurjen (Ajo) Oppedijk
Image size: 45.5 × 37.5 cm
Framed size: 52.5 × 44.5 cm

This work is an ode to simplicity: beauty lives in what you see every day — if you take the time to really look. With his characteristic, realistic brushwork Anne Jurjen (Ajo) captures not only the warm glow of the fruit but also the quiet behind it. The title “Big Little Mandarin” playfully refers to scale: a small segment that, through attention and light, feels grand in presence.

About the artist

Born in Sneek (1984) and based in Haarlem, Anne Jurjen (Ajo) Oppedijk combines his work as a bus driver with a growing career as a painter. His realistic still lifes present everyday objects that, through light, calm and paint, gain an almost tangible presence. His works are cherished by collectors at home and abroad.

“Art doesn’t have to be loud to make an impression — depth lies in simplicity.”

Read more about the artist in the full biography of Ajo Oppedijk.