Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose.
1886
John Singer Sargent
It would be easy to dismiss this offering from the much-travelled artist John Singer-Sargent as a piece of Victorian sentimentality. It's certainly a painting that tempts you to create stories about the subject.
But there is far more here.
Compared to his fairly restrained portraits, the artist has really let go here. We have a storm of lilies and carnations (with a scattering of pink roses), glowing Chinese lanterns in pastel colours, two young girls in white, and all set in the purple of evening light. The gentle torrent of colour is almost overwhelming.
The colours are accentuated by the dusk-tones and the sharp points of light on the girls' smocks and the closest blooms. The girls' focus and concentration tend to make them one with the flowers and the lanterns. And the flat feel of the painting - there's no horizon line to give us a sense of depth - brings the subject very close to us.
We don't need to use this painting to remind us of fond memories or as a springboard for wistful daydreaming (although it might work as both of those),
It's a painting to simply delight in.
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