Artwork
Summer Flowers
Summer Flowers is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Henri Fantin-Latour. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
The flowers are mostly white and red roses, with some pink and yellow ones mixed in.
This painting shows a big vase of flowers on a table. The flowers are mostly white and red roses, with some pink and yellow ones mixed in. The brushstrokes are thick and visible, giving the painting a textured look.
The artist signed it "Fantin" in the top right corner, along with the date 1880. The background is plain and dark, making the bright colors of the flowers stand out.
Next, check out the technique: impasto.
Subject & Meaning
Summer Flowers is a still-life painting that presents a bouquet of blooming blossoms arranged on a table. The work emphasizes the fleeting beauty of summer, using a rich palette of roses, peonies, and other garden flowers to evoke abundance and transience. Fantin-Latour’s careful rendering of each petal and subtle play of light suggests a contemplation of nature’s ephemeral splendor, a theme often linked to the artist’s interest in domestic harmony. Executed in oil on canvas in 1890, the piece now resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas in 1890, the painting measures 50.8 cm in height and 61.9 cm in width. The handling is characterized by smooth, evenly applied paint layers typical of Fantin-Latour’s still-life practice, with careful attention to subtle tonal gradations and delicate transitions of light across petals and leaves. The composition centers on a restrained palette of whites, soft pinks, and muted greens, arranged in a balanced, symmetrical grouping that emphasizes quiet elegance over dramatic contrast.
Brushwork remains restrained, with fine detailing in the flowers and foliage that suggests both botanical observation and a refined decorative sensibility.
History & Provenance
Henri Fantin-Latour executed the oil painting Summer Flowers in 1890. The work, a floral still life on canvas, measures 50.8 by 61.9 centimeters and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the specific circumstances of its commission and its ownership history prior to museum acquisition are not detailed in the available records, and no inventory or accession number is provided, the work is firmly attributed to Fantin-Latour. No information regarding the exhibition history of this specific work is available in the current sources.
Context
Summer Flowers is an oil on canvas still-life painted in 1890 by the French artist Henri Fantin-Latour. The work measures approximately 50.8 by 61.9 centimeters and depicts a modest bouquet of blossoms arranged on a table, a subject he treated repeatedly throughout his career. It is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed as a nineteenth-century European painting. The piece exemplifies Fantin-Latour’s role in sustaining the French still-life tradition during the late nineteenth century.
Overview
Henri Fantin-Latour's Summer Flowers, an oil painting from 1890, presents a vibrant floral still life. This work exemplifies the French artist's celebrated skill in depicting botanical subjects with sensitivity. The painting is held within the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a significant aspect of Fantin-Latour's oeuvre, for which he gained considerable recognition during his lifetime.
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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.
