Artwork
Flower Seller at the Trocadéro
Flower Seller at the Trocadéro is a print by Jean-Émile Laboureur. It dates from 1931 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
The woman's attire and the style of the buildings suggest that the painting is set in the early 20th century.
The painting depicts a woman standing on a street, holding a bouquet of flowers in her right hand. She is dressed in a long coat and a skirt, with a basket of flowers at her feet. The background of the painting shows a street scene with trees and buildings.
The woman's attire and the style of the buildings suggest that the painting is set in the early 20th century. The artist's use of bold lines and geometric shapes gives the painting a modernist feel.
The painting is held at The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Overview
Jean‑Émile Laboureur’s 1931 lithograph *Flower Seller at the Trocadéro* captures a moment of everyday commerce in a well‑known Parisian locale. The image shows a woman in a long coat and skirt, clutching a bouquet while a basket of flowers rests at her feet, set against a street lined with trees and low‑rise buildings. The work belongs to the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a solitary flower vendor, a figure emblematic of the informal economies that animated early‑twentieth‑century Paris. By placing her in the Trocadéro, a space associated with public gatherings and leisure, Laboureur highlights the intersection of work and urban life, suggesting a quiet dignity in the routine act of selling blossoms.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithographic print, the image relies on bold, clean lines and simplified geometric forms that lend it a modernist character. Laboureur’s handling of contrast emphasizes the figure’s silhouette against the architectural backdrop, while the restrained palette underscores the graphic quality typical of his printmaking practice.
History & Provenance
Created during a period when Laboureur was active as a designer, illustrator, and engraver, the lithograph reflects his versatility across media. After its production, the work entered the holdings of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains accessible to the public as part of the museum’s print and drawing collection.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Émile Laboureur, known as Jean Émile (16 August 1877, Nantes – 16 June 1943, near Pénestin) was a French painter, designer, engraver, watercolorist, lithographer, and illustrator.
