Artwork
Still Life with Grapes and a Carnation
Still Life with Grapes and a Carnation is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Henri Fantin-Latour. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
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About this work
Technique & Style
The work titled Still Life with Grapes and a Carnation is an oil painting on canvas executed in 1880 by Henri Fantin‑Latour.
The work titled Still Life with Grapes and a Carnation is an oil painting on canvas executed in 1880 by Henri Fantin‑Latour. The composition brings together a bunch of grapes and a single carnation in a balanced arrangement that exemplifies the artist’s careful attention to texture and light. Rendered in oil paint, the surface displays a smooth finish typical of Fantin‑Latour’s still‑life technique, with subtle tonal modeling that modulates the translucency of the fruit and the delicate petals.
The painting measures 30.5 cm by 47 cm and has been part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection since a 1999 bequest, having previously been lent for a 1966 exhibition of the Mellon collection.
History & Provenance
Still Life with Grapes and a Carnation was painted by Henri Fantin‑Latour in 1880 as an oil on canvas work. After its creation the painting entered the London dealer Arthur Tooth & Sons, who handled its early sales. In 1966 it was acquired by Paul Mellon, who displayed it in a Mellon collection exhibition at the National Gallery of Art and retained it until his death.
Mellon bequeathed the work to the National Gallery of Art in 1999, with a life interest granted to his wife that was released in 2006. The painting remains in the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C.
The work is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it entered the collection as part of the Paul Mellon Bequest in 1999 and was accessioned following the release of Mrs. Mellon’s life interest in 2006 (inventory status as NGA accession).
It was included in the 1966 exhibition of the Mellon Collection at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it was lent by Paul Mellon before its bequest.
Overview
Henri Fantin-Latour's Still Life with Grapes and a Carnation, an oil on canvas created around 1880, showcases his characteristic approach to the genre. The painting features a modest arrangement of fruit and a single flower positioned against a neutral backdrop. This work exemplifies the French artist's meticulous attention to detail in depicting everyday objects, a consistent theme throughout his celebrated career, which also included numerous portraits of Parisian cultural figures.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a cluster of grapes and a solitary carnation, carefully arranged to emphasize their natural forms and textures. Fantin-Latour frequently selected common items for his still lifes, transforming them through precise observation. The deliberate placement and the understated background evoke a sense of tranquility, encouraging a focused appreciation for the simple beauty inherent in these ordinary subjects.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Ignace Henri Jean Theodore Fantin-Latour (French pronunciation:; 14 January 1836 – 25 August 1904) was a French painter and lithographer best known for his flower paintings and group portraits of Parisian artists and writers.
