Artwork
Still Life with Flowers
Still Life with Flowers is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Henri Fantin-Latour. It dates from 1891 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Overview
Henri Fantin‑Latour’s *Still Life with Flowers* (1891) is an oil painting that presents a carefully arranged bouquet in a simple vase. Executed toward the end of the 19th‑century Impressionist period, the work exemplifies the artist’s long‑standing interest in floral subjects, a theme that recurs throughout his oeuvre.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a cluster of blossoms dominated by white and pink petals, punctuated by touches of red and purple. Set against an unadorned background, the flowers command the viewer’s attention, suggesting a quiet celebration of natural beauty and the fleeting elegance of cut blooms.
Technique & Style
Fantin‑Latour employs a subtle chiaroscuro, allowing light to seem to emanate from within the petals and giving the arrangement a three‑dimensional presence. The delicate handling of brushwork and the restrained palette reflect his meticulous approach to still‑life painting, while the overall effect remains restrained rather than overtly decorative.
History & Provenance
Created in 1891, the painting belongs to the later phase of Fantin‑Latour’s career, during which he was also noted for group portraits of Parisian artists and writers. It entered the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s European paintings holdings.
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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.
