Flowers still life (1884)

Dated 1884, "Flowers still life" is an artwork by Paul Gauguin. Context for 1884: In the 1890s, colour lithography and Art Nouveau made the illustrated poster a celebrated art form. The later nineteenth century is the era of Impressionism, whose first group exhibition was held in Paris in 1874, followed by Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, and the Arts and Crafts movement. Still Life, a short history: Still life, the arrangement of flowers, fruit, tableware, and other objects, became a distinct genre in the Netherlands and Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Dutch vanitas paintings used objects such as skulls, candles, and wilting flowers to remind viewers that time passes. The catalogue places it in Still Life. The format is landscape.

Everything for "Flowers still life" arrives digitally: Digital JPEG + PDF files, 300 DPI. Once payment is confirmed, an email brings the download link, and from there you decide how to print it, whether at home, at a print shop, or through an online service. A landscape format suits wide, low wall spaces such as the stretch above a bed, mantel, or sideboard. Still life works are appreciated for their intimacy and rich surface detail, which makes them especially suited to dining rooms, kitchens, studies, and other quieter parts of the home. Matching the frame to the image proportions avoids cropping. Screens and printers render colour differently, so a small test print is a sensible way to check tones before committing to a large size. Matte and fine-art papers reduce glare in bright rooms, while glossy papers give stronger contrast and deeper blacks. Hang the print away from direct sunlight, which over the years can fade any printed colour.

French, 1848–1903

If you like the visual language of Paul Gauguin, explore more works by the same artist in our collection.