A Basket of Roses
- Artist: Ignace-Henri-Théodore Fantin-Latour
- Date: 1890
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is "A Basket of Roses" by Ignace-Henri-Théodore Fantin-Latour. Painted in 1890, this work showcases the artist's skill with oil on canvas.
The subtle colours used here - pure white, cream, pale apricot and pink - have been carefully balanced to establish harmony. The heads of the blooms are turned in different directions to catch the clear, bright light and show the unique qualities of each flower.
Each twisted stem of the basket is clearly defined, but its deep brown colour seems to make it recede from us, establishing depth of space. This effect is helped by the dark red of the roses at the top and bottom of the arrangement, which also make the other flowers appear more brilliant.
The leaves are glossy and the petals have a multitude of textures. However, these roses seem to have little to do with the natural world outside - they appear too pristine and untouched. The bare, mottled background brings out their colours but isolates them as though in an empty room.
See it in person
A Basket of Roses 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.
