Artwork
Still Life: Vase of Peonies
Still Life: Vase of Peonies is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Edmund Charles Tarbell. It dates from 1925 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a work within the still life genre, the composition focuses entirely on the botanical subject matter, presenting the flowers as the primary visual element.
Edmund Charles Tarbell's 1925 oil painting, Still Life: Vase of Peonies, depicts a floral arrangement centered on a vase containing peonies (Paeonia). As a work within the still life genre, the composition focuses entirely on the botanical subject matter, presenting the flowers as the primary visual element. The artwork represents a straightforward study of natural forms, isolating the peonies and their container against a neutral background to emphasize their organic shapes and textures.
While the specific symbolic intent is not detailed in the available records, the piece functions as a classic example of early twentieth-century American still life, where the transient beauty of cut flowers serves as the focal point of the composition.
Technique & Style
Edmund Charles Tarbell executed Still Life: Vase of Peonies in 1925 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 63.8 centimeters in height and 53.8 centimeters in width. Classified as a still life, the painting formally depicts a vase containing peonies.
As an oil-on-canvas piece from the early twentieth century, the medium allows for the characteristic handling of light and texture associated with Tarbell's style, though specific brushwork details are not elaborated in the available records. The physical dimensions and material composition confirm its status as a traditional easel painting within the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
History & Provenance
Edmund Charles Tarbell created the oil painting Still Life: Vase of Peonies in 1925. Executed on canvas, the work depicts a floral arrangement featuring peonies within a vase. The piece entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains housed.
While the specific circumstances of its commission or its ownership history prior to arriving at the museum are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly established as 1925. The painting measures approximately 63.8 by 53.8 centimeters and is classified within the still life genre.
Overview
Edmund Charles Tarbell's Still Life: Vase of Peonies, painted in oil in 1925, exemplifies the American Impressionist approach to the still life genre. This work is a notable example of the artist's output, featuring a common domestic subject rendered with characteristic attention to light and texture. It is currently housed in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Context
Edmund Charles Tarbell was a significant figure in American Impressionism, closely associated with the Boston School and a member of the influential Ten American Painters group. His artistic contributions helped define a particular aesthetic within American art during the early 20th century. Tarbell's paintings, including still lifes and portraits, are represented in prominent museum collections across the United States.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Edmund Charles Tarbell (April 26, 1862 – August 1, 1938) was an American Impressionist painter.
