Inspiration: Jean-Frans van Dael
Glorieuze Stilleven met bloemen op een stenen borstwering
A vase of flowers on a ledge
Jean-Frans van Dael, Flemish painter who lived across the end of the 18th Century into the earlier years of the 19th Century, was an avid painter of flowers. His works mostly revolved around still life paintings, ones that captured flowers most prominently.
We might not have the luxury of cultivating such exotic flowers, but we can draw from his paintings in creating our own arrangements. Most prominently for us is one of his oil paintings, "Flowers Before a Window,β as shown below.
What remains so charming about his works are the vibrancy of the colours and variation of flowers that take the spotlight of his paintings. As can be seen, his paintings are intricate, comprising of colours ranging from blues and lilac to peaches, deep oranges and yellows.
Despite them being still life paintings, they somehow manage to capture the delicacy and flow of flowers, leaves, and the way they twine and fall into place. As florists, it is hard not to be drawn to his artworks and in turn use them as inspiration for our own works.
“Whether it is peonies or umbrella flowers, his choice of flora and fauna are definitely not run of the mill. It is said that Jean-Frans van Dael used to grow flowers in his own garden as part of his own botanical study as also as references for his art. ”
Our urban life has many of us cooped up indoors, whether it is in office buildings or high-rise apartment flats. This particular painting is a reminder to look outwards and take timely breaks, best with the company of flowers.
Fresh flowers, plants, or even dried flower arrangements can all be therapeutic to look at, offering solace and calm in a frantic environment -- the same way art can too. With this art inspired creation of ours, we hope that everyone can find beauty in both art and in nature, and find ways of incorporating both into their lives.
References: Artnet. Images: Fine Arts Museums of San Franciscoο»Ώ, Wikimedia Commons