The flower seller 

Editor: Right, next up we have Léon Comerre's "The Flower Seller". She's offering roses, painted with such a soft touch. The way the light falls across her face makes it hard to tell exactly when Comerre created this portrait, but it feels timeless, in a way. How do you connect with this image? Curator: Timeless is the perfect word! For me, she’s all about a nostalgic whisper of simpler times, maybe a daydream dipped in rosewater. There's an idealized romance painted all over this, isn't there? It's the kind of prettiness that hides stories... perhaps ones we tell ourselves? The flowers feel symbolic - not just decorative but holding a message of love or maybe even loss. Don’t you think the muted palette helps create a world that is idealized? It reminds me a little bit of a less rebellious Millais. What sort of narrative do you think someone seeing this for the first time might create? Editor: I can definitely see how viewers might create their own narrative! Personally, I see a confident woman making her living with a gentle smile. But that brings up something... she almost feels like she is too clean, you know? Almost like she has never had to struggle, I suppose. Is that unfair of me? Curator: No, not at all! Maybe that’s the artist telling us more about his hopes and aspirations, projecting an idea of innocence in a world he sees rapidly changing. Maybe that's where some of the narrative tension arises for us today! It’s easy to want something so perfect and unreal. Editor: Well, thinking about it that way definitely enhances my experience! Curator: For me as well. And it prompts a good question about whether the intent of an artist, even if unknowable, changes the value, whether that value is beauty or monetary! Thanks for helping me untangle these blooms a bit further!