During the nineteenth century, artists in different parts of the world became more interested in showing quiet moments inside the home. Art historians explain that Edgar Degas often focused on private interior scenes that feel personal and informal. Around the same time in Japan, Edo-period artists were creating artwork filled with flowers that represented the seasons, nature, and the idea that life is always changing. Scholars who study Japanese art point out that flowers were not just decoration, but meaningful symbols that were part of everyday life.
This exhibition focuses on Degas’s painting A Woman Seated beside a Vase of Flowers and I chose to compare it to Japanese floral artwork. Instead of using flowers as background decoration, these artists made flowers an important part of the meaning of their work and everyday life. In Degas’s painting, the vase of flowers takes up much of the space and feels just as important as the woman. Japanese scholars explain that flowers often symbolized time, change, and emotional calm. Together, these works show how flowers shape the feeling of a room and help express quiet emotions inside the home. This exhibition argues that flowers create a shared visual language across cultures for peace, reflection, and daily life.
Edgar Degas, A Woman Seated beside a Vase of Flowers, 1865, Oil on canvas, 29 x 36 1/2 in.
In this painting, Degas shows a woman sitting next to a large vase overflowing with flowers. The flowers take up much of the space in the painting and feel just as important as the woman. The woman does not look at the viewer and seems lost in thought. This makes the scene feel calm and private. The flowers add life and color to the room, while the woman remains quiet and still. This creates a balance between human emotion and nature inside the home. The painting shows that everyday spaces can hold deep emotional meaning.
Ogata Kenzan, Chrysanthemum (Fan Painting), 1743, Ink and color on gold-leafed paper, 13 1/16 × 21 7/16 in
This fan painting shows bright white chrysanthemums against a gold background. The gold makes the flowers stand out and feel important. In Japanese culture, chrysanthemums often represent long life and the fall season. Since this artwork was made on a fan, it would have been used in daily life, not just displayed for decoration. This connects it to Degas’s painting, which also shows flowers as part of everyday domestic life. Both artworks show how flowers can be meaningful and personal inside the home.
Katsushika Isai, Summer Flowers (Fan Painting), 19th century, Ink and color on silk, 7 3/4 x 27 in.
This fan painting shows several different summer flowers painted with soft brushstrokes and light colors. The gentle style gives the flowers a peaceful and delicate feeling. Since this painting was also made on a fan, it would have been held and used in daily life. Like Degas’s painting, this work captures a quiet, calm moment. The flowers help create a peaceful mood and show how nature can be part of everyday indoor spaces.
Bottle with Flowers of the Four Seasons, Japan, ca. 1710, Porcelain, Imari Ware, Height: 8 5/8 in.
This porcelain bottle is decorated with flowers that represent all four seasons. It was likely used as a household object, not just for display. The flowers wrap around the surface and show how floral designs were part of everyday life in Japan. This object connects well with Degas’s painting because both place flowers directly into the home. It shows how flowers were not only painted on canvas but also used in objects people saw and used every day.
Textile Fragment with Chrysanthemums and Peonies, Japan, Edo period, Silk, 13 x 10 1/2 in.
This silk textile shows repeated patterns of chrysanthemums and peonies. The design flows smoothly across the fabric, creating a sense of movement. This fabric may have been part of clothing or decoration inside the home. Because of this, floral imagery would have been seen and felt in daily life. Like Degas’s painting, this textile shows how flowers were closely connected to interior spaces and personal experience.
Chrysanthemums, Hokusai School, 19th century, Watercolor on paper, 9 3/8 x 12 1/4 in.
This watercolor painting shows simple chrysanthemums painted with soft colors and light lines. The flowers appear gentle and quiet, giving the artwork a calm feeling. The watercolor medium makes the flowers appear delicate and temporary. This feeling of softness connects with the peaceful mood in Degas’s painting. Both works show how flowers can create a quiet, thoughtful atmosphere inside a space.
References
Degas, E. (1865). A woman seated beside a vase of flowers (Madame Paul Valpinçon?) [Oil on canvas]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436121
Guth, C. (1996). Art of Edo Japan: The artist and the city 1615–1868. Abrams.
Hokusai School. (19th century). Chrysanthemums [Watercolor on paper]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/57305
House, J. (1988). Degas. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Isai, K. (19th century). Summer flowers (fan painting) [Ink and color on silk]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/61942
Japanese. (ca. 1710). Bottle with flowers of the four seasons (Imari ware) [Porcelain]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/208279
Japanese. (Edo period). Textile fragment with chrysanthemums and peonies [Silk]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/65900
Kenzan, O. (1743). Chrysanthemum (fan painting) [Ink and color on gold-leafed paper]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/829400
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