Flowers in France

What’s the deal with flowers in France? This exhibit centers around oil on canvas paintings by French artists with subjects of flowers spanning from 1800-1906. Oil paintings first became popular around the 15th century, although they were invented five to ten centuries earlier. Once they became more widely used, it wasn’t too much later that oil paintings became increasingly popular throughout much of Europe. Since the 16th century, most oil paintings were done on canvas, due to its durability and relative cheapness. Much of the art produced during Modern Period France revolved around romantic tendencies, often showcasing idealized themes involving some natural elements. In the case of this exhibit, flowers.

This exhibit will be looking at pieces by Edgar Degas, Odilon Redon, Eugene Delacroix, Henri Fantin-Latour, Auguste Renoir, and an unknown French artist. Flowers were a popular subject during this time, partly due to the French’s interest in naturalism. Here I will be highlighting this interest in flowers by showcasing six different pieces of art; all of which are oil paintings on Canvas by French artists. My main piece, A Woman Seated Beside a Vase of Flowers, emphasizes this theme of flowers by French artists, and the other five paintings I have chosen will help support this piece, while collectively each piece will come together as a whole.

A Woman Seated Beside A Vase of Flowers, Edgar Degas, 1865, Oil on Canvas, 29.100.128

In the year 1885, Degas created this piece after being inspired by what art historians believe was a visit to a friend’s country house. Due to the types of flowers shown in the bouquet, the painting is believed to have been done during late summer. This painting shows themes of naturalism (the flowers and the woman), as well as through the scene being in someone’s house. The contrast between the neutral colors in the majority of the painting and the brighter colored flowers draws your eyes immediately to the bouquet, which is further signified by how proportionately large the bouquet is.

Vase of Flowers (Pink Background), Odilon Redon, 1906, Oil on Canvas, 59.16.3

Redon’s Vase of Flowers (Pink Background) again emphasizes the naturalistic elements that were so prominent in France at the time. In fact, during his later career, Redon became known for producing art about bouquets of flowers. In this piece, we can see the direct contrast between the light, neutral background of the painting with the bright, vibrant colors of the flowers. Redon even chose to give the vase a neutral color, therefore drawing, even more, emphasis on the flowers. Although different strategies were used, both Redon and Degas are drawing attention to the flowers as the centerpiece of their paintings.

Basket of Flowers, Eugene Delacroix, 1848-89, Oil on Canvas, 67.187.60

Delacroix’s Basket of Flowers shows an emphasis on naturalism through a landscape, which was also highly popular during Modern Period France. This painting was done while at Delacroix’s country house, in Champrosay. Similar to Redon, later in his career, Delacroix more and more centered his work around nature. Basket of Flowers actually happened to be Delacroix’s, “first formal flower painting”. Again, the main focus of this painting is the flowers. Although Delacroix places the flowers in a basket rather than a vase, and they are more in scale with the rest of the background, because of the color contrast and the placement, it almost seems as if the flowers are spilling out of the painting. It’s impossible for your eyes not to be drawn to them.

Summer Flowers, Henri Fantin-Latour 1880, Oil on Canvas, 1997.347

With a neutral background and vase, Fantin almost blends the vase into the background, creating even further emphasis on the flowers themselves, making sure that your attention is solely drawn there. Just like Redon, Fantin places the vase of flowers directly at the center of his painting, again making sure that they are truly the main piece of his work. The flowers are, “dahlias, phlox, and roses”, all of which were picked near Fantin’s country house.

Vase of Flowers Draped with Garlands, French Painter, 18th Century, Oil on Canvas, 07.225.267

Although we don’t have much information about Vase of Flowers Draped with Garlands, we do know that the artist was French and that it was painted in the 18th century, which gathering from our other paintings in the same time era who are also French painters, we are able to draw some conclusions. However, this painting in many ways differs from most of the others. There is a similarity in the neutral and pale background the artist chose to use, but each corner is painted brown, creating an oval shape. Also, the vase is painted blue rather than being neutral, and the flowers inside are smaller. It seems as though more of the focus is being placed on the vase, rather than the flowers like with most other flower paintings at the time. The flowers are also colored more lightly, and more easily blend in with the background.

Still Life with Flowers and Prickly Pears, Auguste Renoir, 1885, Oil on Canvas, 2010.454

Renoir’s Still Life with Flowers and Prickly Pears quickly stands out amongst the rest due to the colorful and patterned background, the lightly-colored flowers, and the fact that there is fruit on the table alongside the vase. However, the fact remains that there is a vase of flowers at the center of the painting, and it is done by a French artist and is an oil on canvas. The vase of flowers is slightly off center and to the right, but the contrast between the color of the vase and the color of the flowers still places emphasis on the flowers themselves.