Artwork
Flowers: Tulips, Azaleas, Roses
Flowers: Tulips, Azaleas, Roses is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Henri Fantin-Latour. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
A table sits in soft light. Three glass vases hold tulips, azaleas, and roses in pink and white. The petals look almost real enough to touch.
Fantin-Latour painted this in 1864. He trained with Courbet, but fell in love with still lifes instead. His flowers aren’t just pretty—they glow from within.
Check out more of his work at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Flowers: Tulips, Azaleas, Roses is an 1864 oil painting by Henri Fantin-Latour, featuring a bouquet of mixed flowers in glass vases on a table, set against a plain dark background.
Subject & Meaning
The painting showcases a carefully arranged bouquet of tulips, azaleas, roses, and other rustic flowers. Beyond aesthetic appeal, the work highlights the artist's focus on capturing the interplay of textures and tones, drawing attention to the naturalistic rendering of the flowers.
Technique & Style
Fantin-Latour employs characteristic techniques of 19th-century French naturalism, anticipating Impressionist innovations. The soft, nuanced light and vivid, lifelike depiction of petals exemplify his skill in capturing light and colour, distinguishing his still-life works.
History & Provenance
Created in 1864, during Fantin-Latour's early specialisation in floral compositions, this painting reflects his shift from portraiture to still-life. It was likely influenced by his time with Gustave Courbet, though the piece belongs to his distinct floral oeuvre, popular among British collectors.
Context
Exhibited at the Royal Academy in London from 1862 onwards, thanks in part to James McNeill Whistler's patronage, the painting represents Fantin-Latour's successful appeal to British audiences with his naturalistic flower pieces.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Ignace Henri Jean Theodore Fantin-Latour (French pronunciation: ; 14 January 1836 – 25 August 1904) was a French painter and lithographer best known for his flower paintings and group portraits of Parisian artists and writers.
