Artwork
Lilacs and Peonies
Lilacs and Peonies is an oil painting by Suzanne Valadon. It dates from 1929 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The piece functions primarily as a direct representation of these blooms, characterized by their scientific and common names rather than an encoded narrative.
Suzanne Valadon's 1929 oil painting Lilacs and Peonies presents a still life composition featuring two distinct floral species. The work explicitly depicts common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) alongside peonies (Paeonia), rendering these botanical subjects as the sole focus of the canvas. While the title and visual content clearly identify the flowers, the available records do not provide specific details regarding symbolic interpretations, allegorical meanings, or broader iconographic traditions associated with this particular arrangement by the artist.
The piece functions primarily as a direct representation of these blooms, characterized by their scientific and common names rather than an encoded narrative.
Technique & Style
Created in 1929, Lilacs and Peonies is an oil painting executed on canvas. The work measures 100.3 cm in height and 81.3 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on the botanical depiction of common lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) and peonies (Paeonia), utilizing the medium to render these specific floral subjects.
History & Provenance
The painting was completed by Suzanne Valadon in 1929, as indicated by both internal documentation and the Wikidata record.
It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains in their holdings. The work’s dimensions are recorded as 100.3 cm in height and 81.3 cm in width.
The painting is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its accession number is 61.195, assigned upon entry to the collection.
The work was exhibited in 2016 as part of "Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel" at the Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia.
Overview
Created in 1929, this oil painting by Suzanne Valadon presents a still‑life arrangement of lilacs and peonies in a modest vase. The composition rests on a low table, illuminated by daylight that streams through a nearby window, while a dark backdrop and a draped cloth add contrast. The work exemplifies Valadon’s mature period, when she turned her attention toward floral subjects after a career focused on figures and landscapes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marie-Clémentine "Suzanne" Valadon (French pronunciation:; 23 September 1865 – 7 April 1938) was a French painter who was born at Bessines-sur-Gartempe, Haute-Vienne, France.
