An evocative floral still life dating from around 1900-1910, depicting a bouquet of white roses.. Painted in a restrained palette of dried sage, silvery whites and the faintest blush pinks, the composition has a quiet poetry so characteristic of the Art Nouveau period.The roses seem almost to dissolve into the surrounding space, their softly modelled forms creating an image that feels quietly mysterious. The limited palette lends the work a surprisingly modern sensibility while retaining the romantic spirit of the fin de sičcle.In the language of flowers, white roses have long symbolised purity, remembrance and enduring affection. Whether intended symbolically or simply admired for their beauty, they give the painting a contemplative and timeless quality.The painting was acquired together with an old handwritten note attributing it to the Belgian painter Charles Hermans (1839–1928), described as an ancestor of the previous owner''s wife. Unfortunately that note has since be...