Vase 1904

This porcelain vase, made at the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, has been covered with these delicate floral paintings. I can imagine the artist with their paintbrush, moving around the surface, one tiny stroke at a time. It’s interesting how the artist has built up the form with color and line. See how the blue flowers are composed of many strokes? They almost look like fireworks! They really come alive against the yellow and green. There's something really generous about the artist’s hand here. I can sense their delight and love for the natural world. It reminds me a little of the painter Joan Mitchell, but applied to this perfectly formed vase, so it’s also kind of strange. Artists are always inspired by each other, consciously or unconsciously and each of us leaves our own mark. When we look at art, we're not just seeing the final result, but also witnessing a conversation between artists across time.