A Vase of Wild Flowers
- Artist: Adolphe Monticelli
- Date: probably 1870-80
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Vase of Wild Flowers" by Adolphe Monticelli. Painted in the Italian north, this work showcases Monticelli's unique style and technique. Notice how the tablecloth is decorated with flowers and blue stripes that create a sense of depth. The visible wood panel adds to this effect.
Monticelli was known for his use of thick impasto paint, which you can see here as he's used it to delineate the flowers and model their forms. Blobs of pure colour suggest the petals, giving the painting a three-dimensional quality.
Interestingly, this style is reminiscent of other still lifes by Monticelli in the National Gallery's collection. One of his contemporaries, Vincent van Gogh, was heavily influenced by his work. In fact, Van Gogh bought one of Monticelli's flower paintings, which is now in the Van Gogh Museum.
Monticelli's influence on Post-Impressionist artists is still acknowledged today, despite being somewhat overlooked by scholars. This painting, with its bold colours and textures, is a great example of his innovative style.
See it in person
A Vase of Wild Flowers hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
