Image: Three pears by Paul Cezanne

Which of the following statements is not true?
The pears ocupy the positive space in this image.
Recognizing the negative and positive spaces could have made it easier for the artist to paint the pears.
The negative space is difficult to recognize and is unhelpful in painting the object.
The negative space of this image is the area surounding the pears.

The negative space is difficult to recognize and is unhelpful in painting the object.