Flower of the Fields
Encyclopedia
Flower of the Fields is an 1845
painting on wood by Lyon
artist Louis Janmot
. It was acquired in 1893 by the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
where it has been conserved.
The painting shows a young woman who is sitting in the nature, surrounded with flowers and butterflies. She has two flower bouquet
s in her hands: one laid down on her knees, composed of buttercups, daisies
and cornflower
s, the other one held vertically is composed of poppies
. In the background, the landscape shows a verdant plains and the mountains of the Bugey
region. The sky is blue, with some white clouds near the mountains, and indicates that the scene probably takes place in the late afternoon. Each flower, as well as the woman's face, are painted with an extremely accuracy, the colors used are sweet and some melancholy emanates from the scene. The look of the young woman seems to contain a hint of seriousness.
The painting was notably exhibited at the Paris Salon
in 1845 and at the Exposition Universelle (1855)
, also in Paris, among other exhibitions. It was restored in 1974.
Larousse Encyclopedia
describes this work as "well-balanced". However, it is unclear if the painting is the portrait of a woman known by Janmot, but the clothes she wears do not comply with her time, but recall the portraits of the Italian Renaissance
. This may be a painting of flowers, as this type of art was very popular in Lyon in the 19th century. But perhaps the young woman is she the goddess Flora
and is a thought about the transience of time.
1845 in art
-Events:*February 7 – The Portland Vase is destroyed by a drunk. It has since been reconstructed three times.-Works:*Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres – Portrait of Countess Haussonville*Jan August Hendrik Leys – Franz Floris se rendant a une fête...
painting on wood by Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
artist Louis Janmot
Louis Janmot
Anne-François-Louis Janmot was a French painter and poet.-Early years:Janmot was born in Lyon of Catholic parents who were deeply religious. He was extremely moved by the death of his brother in 1823 and his sister's in 1829...
. It was acquired in 1893 by the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon
Musée des beaux-arts de Lyon
The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon is a municipal museum of fine arts in the French city of Lyon. It is housed near place des Terreaux in a former Benedictine convent of the 17th and 18th centuries. It was restored between 1988 and 1998, and despite these important restoration works it remained open...
where it has been conserved.
The painting shows a young woman who is sitting in the nature, surrounded with flowers and butterflies. She has two flower bouquet
Flower bouquet
A flower bouquet is a collection of flowers in a creative arrangement. There are different kinds including nosegay, crescent, and cascading bouquets. Flower bouquets are often given for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries. They are also used extensively in weddings. Traditionally...
s in her hands: one laid down on her knees, composed of buttercups, daisies
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
and cornflower
Cornflower
Centaurea cyanus is a small annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe. "Cornflower" is also erroneously used for chicory, and more correctly for a few other Centaurea species; to distinguish C...
s, the other one held vertically is composed of poppies
Poppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
. In the background, the landscape shows a verdant plains and the mountains of the Bugey
Bugey
The Bugey is a historical region in the département of Ain , France. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the département...
region. The sky is blue, with some white clouds near the mountains, and indicates that the scene probably takes place in the late afternoon. Each flower, as well as the woman's face, are painted with an extremely accuracy, the colors used are sweet and some melancholy emanates from the scene. The look of the young woman seems to contain a hint of seriousness.
The painting was notably exhibited at the Paris Salon
Paris Salon
The Salon , or rarely Paris Salon , beginning in 1725 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Between 1748–1890 it was the greatest annual or biannual art event in the Western world...
in 1845 and at the Exposition Universelle (1855)
Exposition Universelle (1855)
The Exposition Universelle of 1855 was an International Exhibition held on the Champs-Elysées in Paris from May 15 to November 15, 1855. Its full official title was the Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855.The exposition was a major...
, also in Paris, among other exhibitions. It was restored in 1974.
Larousse Encyclopedia
Grand Larousse encyclopédique
The Grand Larousse encyclopédique en dix volumes is a French encyclopedic dictionary published by Larousse, published in volumes between February 1960 and August 1964, with two later supplements....
describes this work as "well-balanced". However, it is unclear if the painting is the portrait of a woman known by Janmot, but the clothes she wears do not comply with her time, but recall the portraits of the Italian Renaissance
Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe...
. This may be a painting of flowers, as this type of art was very popular in Lyon in the 19th century. But perhaps the young woman is she the goddess Flora
Flora (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Flora was a goddess of flowers and the season of spring. While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime...
and is a thought about the transience of time.