Artwork
Dahlias, Garden at Petit Gennevilliers
Dahlias, Garden at Petit Gennevilliers is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Gustave Caillebotte. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: G. Caillebotte / 1893
About this work
Technique & Style
Its surface condition is stable, with no noted structural or pigment deterioration reported in conservation documentation.
Gustave Caillebotte painted Dahlias, Garden at Petit Gennevilliers in 1893 using oil on canvas, a medium confirmed by both provenance records and museum cataloging. The work measures 157 cm in height and 114 cm in width, reflecting a tightly composed, naturalistic rendering of garden flora characteristic of Impressionist attention to botanical detail and light. Its surface condition is stable, with no noted structural or pigment deterioration reported in conservation documentation.
The painting’s formal qualities emphasize flattened spatial depth and precise linear drawing, merging Impressionist color modulation with a quasi-architectonic organization of stems and blossoms. Brushwork remains restrained yet varied, supporting a depiction that balances spontaneity with compositional clarity.
History & Provenance
Painted in 1893, the work entered the Wildenstein & Co. inventory before being acquired in April 1969 by Mr. [d. 2001] and Mrs. George T. Scharffenberger of Rolling Hills, California. Their family trusts held the painting until it was gifted to the National Gallery of Art in 2016.
The painting is part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C., where it remains on view as part of the museum's Impressionist holdings.
Overview
Gustave Caillebotte’s 1893 oil on canvas, Dahlias, Garden at Petit Gennevilliers, presents a garden scene where a woman in a blue dress and hat walks along a path accompanied by a dog. Behind her, a red‑roofed house anchors the composition, while large pink dahlias dominate the floral display.
Subject & Meaning
The work combines a leisurely figure with a lush botanical setting, emphasizing a moment of quiet enjoyment in nature. The vibrant dahlias and the calm posture of the woman suggest a harmonious relationship between human presence and cultivated garden space.
Context
At the time of its execution, French artists were exploring everyday leisure scenes, and gardens became popular subjects for depicting modern bourgeois life. Caillebotte’s inclusion of a domestic figure and a well‑kept garden aligns with this trend, while his attention to detail distinguishes the piece from more spontaneous Impressionist works.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Gustave Caillebotte (French: ; 19 August 1848 – 21 February 1894) was a French painter who was a member and patron of the Impressionists, although he painted in a more realistic manner than many others in the group.
