Artwork
Windflowers
Windflowers is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Maurice Asselin. It dates from 1923 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Maurice Asselin’s 1923 work *Windflowers* is an oil painting that presents a modest still‑life arrangement. The composition centers on a vase filled with blossoms rendered in muted whites and browns, set upon a lightly colored tabletop. A softly modulated background of intermingling light and dark tones frames the scene, giving the piece a restrained, contemplative atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The focal point of the canvas is a simple vase of flowers, their petals oriented both upward and downward, suggesting a natural, unposed moment. The subdued palette and gentle modeling invite quiet reflection, emphasizing the quiet beauty of everyday objects rather than dramatic narrative.
Technique & Style
Asselin applies oil with a delicate brushstroke, allowing subtle variations of tone to emerge across the petals and the surrounding surface. His restrained colour scheme and soft edges align with post‑impressionist tendencies, while the visible brushwork in the background adds texture without overwhelming the central motif.
History & Provenance
Created in the early 1920s, *Windflowers* entered the collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on view. The painting reflects a period when Asselin, linked to the School of Paris, was producing still lifes alongside nudes, maternal scenes, and Breton landscapes.
Context
During the post‑impressionist era, many Paris‑based artists explored everyday subjects with a focus on colour harmony and atmospheric mood. Asselin’s work fits within this trend, offering a quiet counterpoint to the more vigorous avant‑garde experiments of his contemporaries, while maintaining a personal sensitivity to light and form.
Artist & collection
Artist
Maurice Paul Jean Asselin (24 June 1882 – 27 September 1947) was a French painter, watercolourist, printmaker, lithographer, engraver and illustrator, associated with the School of Paris.
