On July 19, the Denver Art Museum (DAM) opened In Bloom: Painting Flowers in the Age of Impressionism, the centerpiece exhibition for a campus-wide summer celebration. In Bloom explores the development of 19th-centuryFrench floral still-life painting, and features about 60 paintings by world-renowned French artists Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Vincent Van Gogh and others. On view through Oct. 11, 2015, In Bloom will be a ticketed exhibition, and free for museum members.
The colorful exhibition demonstrates how a traditional genre was reinvented by 19th-century artists, as the art world's focus was shifting to modernism. The exhibition is co-curated by Dr. Heather MacDonald, Getty Foundation and formerly of the Dallas Museum of Art, and Dr. Mitchell Merling, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and curated locally by Angelica Daneo, associate curator of painting and sculpture at the DAM. In Bloom examines the change from meticulous and lush still-life paintings to compositions with looser brush strokes and fewer, unified subjects.
Organized by the Dallas Museum of Art and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the DAM will serve as the last stop for this exhibition. “When we think of the Impressionists, images of vibrant landscapes come to mind, but in this exhibition our visitors will be able to experience the artists’ ability to capture the fleeting beauty of flower bouquets,” said Daneo. “Increasingly popular since the 1500s, the floral still life was revitalized in France during the 1800s, when artists explored the genre’s technical and artistic potential.”
In Bloom follows landmark developments in the French floral still-life genre from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. Visitors will receive a foundation for the experiments of the 19th century by starting with the examination of works by masters such as Anne Vallayer-Coster and Pierre-Joseph Redouté. Highlights of the exhibition include productions by artists from the Lyon School, Impressionist still lifes by Camille Pissarro, Edgar Degas and Pierre-Auguste Renoir and post-Impressionist works by Vincent van Gogh.
The exhibition concludes with pieces by Odilon Redon, Pierre Bonnard and Henri Matisse, who continued the floral still-life tradition as modernism was radically transforming the art world.
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The colorful exhibition demonstrates how a traditional genre was reinvented by 19th-century artists, as the art world's focus was shifting to modernism. The exhibition is co-curated by Dr. Heather MacDonald, Getty Foundation and formerly of the Dallas Museum of Art, and Dr. Mitchell Merling, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and curated locally by Angelica Daneo, associate curator of painting and sculpture at the DAM. In Bloom examines the change from meticulous and lush still-life paintings to compositions with looser brush strokes and fewer, unified subjects.
Organized by the Dallas Museum of Art and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the DAM will serve as the last stop for this exhibition. “When we think of the Impressionists, images of vibrant landscapes come to mind, but in this exhibition our visitors will be able to experience the artists’ ability to capture the fleeting beauty of flower bouquets,” said Daneo. “Increasingly popular since the 1500s, the floral still life was revitalized in France during the 1800s, when artists explored the genre’s technical and artistic potential.”
In Bloom follows landmark developments in the French floral still-life genre from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. Visitors will receive a foundation for the experiments of the 19th century by starting with the examination of works by masters such as Anne Vallayer-Coster and Pierre-Joseph Redouté. Highlights of the exhibition include productions by artists from the Lyon School, Impressionist still lifes by Camille Pissarro, Edgar Degas and Pierre-Auguste Renoir and post-Impressionist works by Vincent van Gogh.
The exhibition concludes with pieces by Odilon Redon, Pierre Bonnard and Henri Matisse, who continued the floral still-life tradition as modernism was radically transforming the art world.
Édouard Manet (French, 1832–1883), Flowers in a Crystal Vase, about 1882. Oil on canvas; 12-7⁄8 × 9-5⁄8 in. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970.17.37.
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Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890; active in France),Vase with Cornflowers and Poppies, 1887. Oil on canvas; 31-1⁄2 × 26-3⁄8 in. Triton Collection Foundation.
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Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890; active in France), Vase with Carnations, summer 1886. Oil on canvas; 18-1⁄8 × 14-3⁄4 in. Collection Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, purchased with the generous support of the Vereniging van Hadendaagse Kunstaankopen, A2235.
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Henri Matisse (French, 1869–1954), Still Life: Bouquet and Compotier, 1924. Oil on canvas; 29-1⁄4 × 36-1⁄2 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., in honor of Dr. Bryan Williams. © 2015 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
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Henri Matisse (French, 1869–1954), Still Life with Pascal’s “Pensées,”1924. Oil on canvas; 19-1⁄4 × 25-1⁄8 in. Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton, 2010.37 © 2015 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
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Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890; active in France), Vase of Flowers, summer 1890. Oil on canvas; 16-9⁄16 × 11-7⁄16 in. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation), S109V/1962.
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Paul Cézanne (French, 1839–1906), The Blue Vase, about 1889–90. Oil on canvas; 24 × 19-1⁄16 in. Musée d’Orsay, Paris, Bequest of Comte Isaac de Camondo, 1911, RF 1973 © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY
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Paul Gauguin (French, 1848–1903), Still Life with Peonies, 1884. Oil on canvas; 23-1⁄2 × 28-3⁄4 in. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 1995.47.10.
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Édouard Manet (French, 1832–1883), Vase of White Lilacs and Roses, 1883. Oil on canvas; 22 × 18-1⁄8 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection, 1985.R.34
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Alfred Sisley (French, 1839–1899), Still Life of Wildflowers, 1875. Oil on canvas; 25-3⁄4 × 19-7⁄8 in. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 85.500.
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Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836–1904), Asters in a Vase, 1875. Oil on canvas; 22-7⁄8 × 23-1⁄4 in. Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase, 4:1944.
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Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836–1904), Chrysanthemums, about 1889. Oil on canvas; 38-3/8 × 36-5/8 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust.33-15/2. Photo: Jamison Miller
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Camille Pissarro (French, 1831–1903), Bouquet of Flowers, about 1898. Oil on canvas; 21-1⁄4 × 25-3⁄4 in. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Bequest of Marco F. Hellman, 1974.6.
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Odilon Redon (French, 1840–1916), Green Plant in an Urn, about 1910–11. Oil on canvas; 33-1⁄2 × 23-5⁄8 in. Musée d’Orsay, Paris, Bequest of Mme ArïRedon in accordance with the wishes of her husband, the artist’s son, 1984, RF 1984 44 © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY
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Gustave Caillebotte (French, 1848–1894) Yellow Roses in a Vase, 1882. Oil on canvas; 21 × 18-1⁄4 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., in honor of Janet Kendall Forsythe, 2010.13.McD.# # #
Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890; active in France),Vase with Cornflowers and Poppies, 1887. Oil on canvas; 31-1⁄2 × 26-3⁄8 in. Triton Collection Foundation.
Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890; active in France), Vase with Carnations, summer 1886. Oil on canvas; 18-1⁄8 × 14-3⁄4 in. Collection Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, purchased with the generous support of the Vereniging van Hadendaagse Kunstaankopen, A2235.
Henri Matisse (French, 1869–1954), Still Life: Bouquet and Compotier, 1924. Oil on canvas; 29-1⁄4 × 36-1⁄2 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., in honor of Dr. Bryan Williams. © 2015 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Henri Matisse (French, 1869–1954), Still Life with Pascal’s “Pensées,”1924. Oil on canvas; 19-1⁄4 × 25-1⁄8 in. Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton, 2010.37 © 2015 Succession H. Matisse / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890; active in France), Vase of Flowers, summer 1890. Oil on canvas; 16-9⁄16 × 11-7⁄16 in. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation), S109V/1962.
Paul Cézanne (French, 1839–1906), The Blue Vase, about 1889–90. Oil on canvas; 24 × 19-1⁄16 in. Musée d’Orsay, Paris, Bequest of Comte Isaac de Camondo, 1911, RF 1973 © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY
Paul Gauguin (French, 1848–1903), Still Life with Peonies, 1884. Oil on canvas; 23-1⁄2 × 28-3⁄4 in. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 1995.47.10.
Édouard Manet (French, 1832–1883), Vase of White Lilacs and Roses, 1883. Oil on canvas; 22 × 18-1⁄8 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection, 1985.R.34
Alfred Sisley (French, 1839–1899), Still Life of Wildflowers, 1875. Oil on canvas; 25-3⁄4 × 19-7⁄8 in. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 85.500.
Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836–1904), Asters in a Vase, 1875. Oil on canvas; 22-7⁄8 × 23-1⁄4 in. Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase, 4:1944.
Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836–1904), Chrysanthemums, about 1889. Oil on canvas; 38-3/8 × 36-5/8 in. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust.33-15/2. Photo: Jamison Miller
Camille Pissarro (French, 1831–1903), Bouquet of Flowers, about 1898. Oil on canvas; 21-1⁄4 × 25-3⁄4 in. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Bequest of Marco F. Hellman, 1974.6.
Odilon Redon (French, 1840–1916), Green Plant in an Urn, about 1910–11. Oil on canvas; 33-1⁄2 × 23-5⁄8 in. Musée d’Orsay, Paris, Bequest of Mme ArïRedon in accordance with the wishes of her husband, the artist’s son, 1984, RF 1984 44 © RMN-Grand Palais / Art Resource, NY
Gustave Caillebotte (French, 1848–1894) Yellow Roses in a Vase, 1882. Oil on canvas; 21 × 18-1⁄4 in. Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., in honor of Janet Kendall Forsythe, 2010.13.McD.# # #