A Basket of Roses, Ca 1920: Museum Exhibited French Floral Still Life Post Impressionist Oil on Panel

This little basket of roses is rather special. Violette, the wife of the artist who painted it, Raymond Woog (1875-1945) believed so: she conserved it in her family. The Musée Galliera in Paris thought so, too: they selected it for a retrospective exhibition at the museum in 1952.

In the painting, the flowers fill the majority of the frame, giving the arrangement an intimate, immediate presence. The dark, simple bowl grounds the composition, allowing the lighter colours of the bouquet to truly pop against the pale, textured background. A limited palette creates a sense of warmth and focuses the viewer's attention on the interplay of colour and light within the flowers.

Woog excelled at the rendition of domestic scenes, painting still lifes, corners of his studio, his wife as she curls up to read, and his children at play. His son, Christopher, was the last owner of the painting presented here.

Raymond had studied with Gustave Moreau at the École des Beaux-Arts. He quickly gained recognition as a draughtsman and painter. In 1903, he was one of the exhibitors at the very first Salon d''Automne. He exhibited at the mythical Galerie Georges Petit, one of the main promoters of impressionist painters, from 1913. Serving in the Army during World War I, her spent six months in Flanders. Upon being promoted to Lieutenant, he was posted as an attaché to the British Army. His sketches of English and French soldiers were published in 1916, as 32 plates in a canvas portfolio. In the 1920s, Woog exhibited his art at the Jacques Seligmann Gallery in New York.

Our oil on board is unsigned, but bears on the verso numerous label from the Woog family, including their address in Fontainebleau, as well as the exhibition label from the Musée Galliéra. The painting was acquired from the estate of the artist's son, and its authenticity is guaranteed unconditionally. Measuring 27 x 34.5 for the panel alone, the overall framed size is 40.5 x 48.5 cm

Nous parlons français, und wir sprechen auch Deutsch! Paintings may be viewed in Norwich and in Paris, as well as in London and Cambridge by appointment. Please contact us if you would like further details and images of an artwork.