"Still Life, or, La Table Garnie," Henri Fantin-Latour, 1866.
Fantin-Latour (1836-1904) was a Realist in the period of Impressionism. Although that may make him seem out-of-step and stuffy, he wasn't.
He produced a series of self-portraits early in his career, but in the 1860s began to focus mostly on still lifes, like this one. This was partly because they showed his strengths at depicting color and texture, but also, like Impressionism, it was a rebellion against the academic standards of art (that one must follow the classical masters, and that art should focus on historical, religious, or mythical themes, and have Meaning), that held still lifes in disdain and considered them a minor genre. And despite not being an Impressionist, he still exhibited with his friends Manet, Monet, and Renoir. So while his still lifes may seem rather conventional and conformist to modern eyes, in context they were actually rebellious and avant-garde.
So, enjoy these flowers as an act of rebellion!
From the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon.
#Art #FrenchArt #Realism #HenriFantinLatour #FlowerFriday #StiiLife #Rebellion
