Henri Fantin-Latour
Henri Fantin-Latour was a French painter and lithographer best known for his flower paintings and group portraits of Parisian artists and writers.
Alongside his work as a portrait painter, Fantin-Latour produced many still lifes. In the 1860s, these even played a major role in his career. It was in fact in England, which he visited regularly, that Fantin-Latour found many enthusiasts for his paintings of flowers and fruit. Purchases and commissions then followed, ensuring commercial success for the painter, which, until then, his other work had not provided.
Although it was the period of the Impressionists for whom, moreover, he had genuine affection, Fantin-Latour's still lifes, filled with poetry and a little old fashioned, were able to impress the public.
It seems as if these roses have been tossed almost carelessly into the wicker basket—they tumble over the edge and onto the table—but the disarray is artful. The subtle colors—pure white, cream, pale apricot, and pink—have been carefully balanced to establish harmony and the heads of the blooms turned in different directions to catch the clear, bright light and show the unique qualities of each flower.
As an aside, this painting was used in 1983 as the cover of New Order's second studio album, Power, Corruption & Lies. The cover was designed by Peter Saville.
This bouquet is for Eleanor, one of our most devoted fans. : ) Thank you Eleanor! : )
P.S. Would you like to know more about still lifes? Here's this genre explained!