Flowers in a Blue Vase 1966

Editor: We're looking at "Flowers in a Blue Vase," an oil painting from 1966 by Robert De Niro, Sr. It strikes me as both delicate and bold in its execution. How do you approach a piece like this, focusing on its formal elements? Curator: The first thing that commands attention is the use of impasto. Notice the visible texture, how the brushstrokes aren’t concealed but contribute actively to the visual experience. The heavy application of paint gives an almost sculptural quality to what would traditionally be considered a still life, destabilizing any expectation of passive appreciation. Editor: I see what you mean. The thickness of the paint almost fights against the fleeting nature of flowers. How does color play into this tension? Curator: Exactly. Consider the juxtapositions: the vibrant blue of the vase, a grounding element, set against the looser, more ambiguous floral forms. And note how those reds and whites in the upper register tend towards the conceptual rather than representational. Are they roses? Carnations? Less important, surely, than their color value and their interplay with that more muted background. Where does the ground start and the objects stop? Editor: So, the forms themselves are less important than the relationships they create? Curator: Precisely. Semiotics teaches us that meaning is generated by difference. It's a dynamic relationship; color, texture, form—all these elements in continuous negotiation. De Niro’s formal arrangement eschews sentimentality, replacing it with an almost tactile, very tangible assertion of painterly presence. Editor: This has shifted how I initially understood the work. Focusing on composition and materiality really opens up the conversation. Curator: Indeed. Close looking reveals not just what is depicted, but how the depiction itself generates significance. A new way to appreciate the power of the artist’s chosen forms.