Fleurs de printemps 1872

Henri Fantin-Latour made this still life of spring flowers in France, though without a precise date we might still locate it within the second half of the 19th century. Fantin-Latour made his name painting such arrangements, and they offered him a steady income. But these works also engage with debates at the time about the purpose of art and the role of institutions such as the French Salon. The vivid colors and delicate rendering of the petals and stems reflect a broader interest in naturalism that moved through European art at this time. But in France there was also a strong academic tradition that valued history painting above all other genres. Fantin-Latour aligned himself with more progressive artists such as Courbet and Manet. These painters were interested in depicting scenes of modern life rather than historical subjects. Fantin-Latour’s flower paintings are thus quietly radical. Historians consult exhibition reviews, letters, and other archival documents to better understand the artist’s intentions. In this way, we might begin to understand the painting as a self-conscious statement about the value of beauty and the importance of looking closely at the world around us.