Delicate Beauty

Roses by Abbott Handerson Thayer, ca. 1890, oil, 56.6 x 79.7 cm, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly

This is one of my favorite paintings at the Smithsonian by Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849-1921).

Thayer was best known for his idealistic paintings of women as angels and madonnas, but to me this beautiful still life touches me the most.

His color palette and fluid application of paint makes these roses sublime! The composition is interesting with a cascade of roses flowing from the larger soft pink roses moving the viewer's eyes in an arc to the white roses on the right. He then brings the impact of the focal white rosebud on the right that is touching the blue vase, by using the greatest polarity: strongest contrast of light and dark and the strongest use of hard edges. Compare that edges and contrast on the focal rose to the softer dropping pink rose on the left.

The leaves are secondary with just enough descriptive information for the viewer to tell which side of the leaf is showing: the beautiful grey-blue indicates the back of the leaf and the darker warmer green indicates the front of the leaf. The vase is beautifully rendered with a glimpse of a warm undertone peeking through with a striking blue hue that indicates the glaze. The background and tabletop are loosely rendered with just enough color change to support the main attraction of the roses and add interest.