Vase of Flowers is an oil painting by the Welsh artist Gwen John (1876–1939).

Vase of Flowers
ArtistGwen John
Yearca. late 1910s
MediumOil on board
Dimensions40 cm × 122 cm (16 in × 48 in)
LocationNational Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

Description edit

The undated work was painted in the early part of the 20th century. It was donated to the National Library of Wales by the Contemporary Art Society of Wales (CASW) in 1957.

The subject of the painting is a vase of pink and white flowers on a wooden table with a few white petals falling onto the table. A pink cloth is draped over a table in the background. It is an oil on board painting using the style of dry painting with an impasto brush. It may have been painted in her lounge.

Analysis edit

Gwen John's biographer Cecily Langdale says the painting probably dates from the late 1910s.[1] A similar, earlier painting by John called Flowers is now held by Manchester Art Gallery.

John's biographer Mary Taubman describes this painting as a "classical and conceptual image and has the appearance of being a considered and reflective development on the original."[2]

Europeana 280 edit

In April 2016, the painting was selected as one of Wales' ten iconic paintings as part of the Europeana art project.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Langdale, Cecily (1987). Gwen John. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. p. 153. ISBN 0-300-03868-2.
  2. ^ Taubman, Mary (1985). Gwen John. Cornell University Press.
  3. ^ "Europeana 280 Blog". Archived from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.