Artwork
Still Life with Flowers and Fruit
Still Life with Flowers and Fruit is an oil painting by the Realist artist Henri Fantin-Latour. It dates from 1866 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures a moment of natural abundance, presenting the vase, flowers, and fruit as the sole subjects of visual interest within the frame.
The work depicts a classic still life arrangement featuring a vase filled with flowers alongside various fruits, characteristic of the genre. Painted in 1866 by Henri Fantin-Latour, the composition focuses on the natural forms and textures of these botanical subjects. While the specific symbolic meaning of these particular flowers and fruits is not detailed in the available records, the piece represents the artist's engagement with the traditional still life tradition, emphasizing the aesthetic arrangement of organic objects.
The painting captures a moment of natural abundance, presenting the vase, flowers, and fruit as the sole subjects of visual interest within the frame.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a support typical of mid‑19th‑century French still‑life practice, and is dated 1866. Its material composition consists of oil paint applied to a stretched canvas, as recorded in the work's technical description. The composition features a modest arrangement of a vase, assorted flowers, and fruit, rendered with the naturalistic handling characteristic of Fantin‑Latour's still‑life genre. No conservation records detailing the current condition are provided in the available documentation.
History & Provenance
Henri Fantin-Latour painted Still Life with Flowers and Fruit in 1866, employing oil on canvas to create a conventional still-life composition. The work is documented as a painting in the artist's oeuvre and measures 73 × 60 cm. Its ownership passed through Calouste Gulbenkian, Robert Schmit, David Graham Carritt, Artemis S.A., and the Lefevre Gallery before entering the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. No documentary evidence of a specific commission is recorded in the consulted references.
Overview
Henri Fantin-Latour's 1866 oil painting, Still Life with Flowers and Fruit, exemplifies his commitment to the Realist movement. The artist, known for his detailed floral and fruit arrangements, presents a meticulously composed scene. This work showcases his characteristic technical skill and a serene, reflective approach to the still life genre, a key aspect of his artistic output alongside his portraits of contemporary figures.
Context
Henri Fantin-Latour was a notable figure within the Realist art movement of the mid-19th century. While celebrated for his group portraits of Parisian intellectuals and artists, his still life paintings formed a significant part of his oeuvre. These works allowed him to explore formal compositions and detailed observation, contributing to a broader artistic trend that valued depicting the tangible world with accuracy and an absence of idealization.
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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.
