Artifact World Gallery
Get the iOS app

Still Life with Grapes and a Carnation by Fantin-Latour, Henri

Fantin-Latour, Henri · c. 1880

Henri Fantin-Latour's Still Life with Grapes and a Carnation, painted around 1880, may seem like a simple composition, yet it once commanded over 1.3 million dollars at auction. This oil on canvas, housed in a private collection, showcases the artist's meticulous approach to still life.

Fantin-Latour, a French painter known for his delicate floral works and portraits, brought the same precision to everyday objects. Notice the translucent quality of the green grapes and the subtle bloom on the purple ones, details that elevate the ordinary into art. The single red carnation adds a vibrant touch of life to the serene arrangement.

The value of this painting lies in Fantin-Latour's masterful technique and his ability to transform common items through careful observation and a restrained color palette. His style, while sometimes associated with Post-Impressionism, maintained a distinct exactitude that set him apart from his contemporaries.

What details do you find most striking in this understated yet valuable work?

Details

It’s a still life with ordinary objects.
It’s a still life with ordinary objects.
Just a bowl of grapes and one carnation.
Just a bowl of grapes and one carnation.
The painter was known for his flowers and portraits.
The painter was known for his flowers and portraits.
But this simple still life sold for 1.3 million dollars.
But this simple still life sold for 1.3 million dollars.
A precise eye sees the detail in every grape.
A precise eye sees the detail in every grape.
Transcript

This painting is over 140 years old. It’s a still life with ordinary objects. Just a bowl of grapes and one carnation. The painter was known for his flowers and portraits. But this simple still life sold for 1.3 million dollars. A precise eye sees the detail in every grape.