Artwork

Spray of Flowers

Spray of Flowers, by L. F. Duruisseau, 1787
Spray of Flowers, by L. F. Duruisseau, 1787

Spray of Flowers is a print by the Romanticist artist L. F. Duruisseau. It dates from 1787 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

This painting shows a wild bunch of flowers—peonies, roses, and more—tied together with a loose ribbon.

This painting shows a wild bunch of flowers—peonies, roses, and more—tied together with a loose ribbon. The petals look soft, like they’ve just been picked.

The artist used a special print method called *crayon manner etching*. It mimics the look of chalk drawings, which were trendy back then. People used these prints to copy floral designs for fabrics or furniture.

This print came from a set called *Etudes de fleurs d’après nature*. Check out L. F. Duruisseau (French, born 1754) next.

Overview

Spray of Flowers is a print that showcases a loose bouquet of flowers tied with a ribbon. The artwork is part of a series titled Etudes de fleurs d’après nature.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a variety of flowers, including peonies and roses, with soft petals. The arrangement is informal, conveying a sense of freshness.

Technique & Style

The print was created using crayon manner etching, a technique that simulates the texture of chalk drawings. A toothed tool called a mattoir was used to achieve the random, grainy effect characteristic of chalk on textured paper.

Context

The series to which this print belongs helped disseminate floral designs that could be applied to various art forms, such as textile design and furniture decoration.

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.