PROVENANCE:
Galerie Taménaga, Tokyo
Dimensions Art Center, Taipei
Private collection, Asia

ILLUSTRATED:
Vlaminck , Dimensions Art Center, Taipei, 1992, color illustrated, cover & pp. 41-42

VASE DE FLEURS
MAURICE DE VLAMINCK

The exquisite Vase de fleurs is a derivative from the fascinating interlude in the history of modern art from Vlaminck's intensely concentrated observation of a still life depiction of a floral arrange displayed on a white porcelain vessel. The composition is rich in elements depicting various florets rendered in red, yellow, blur, orange and white that dominate the foreground, amidst the luscious leafy sprigs in above the white porcelain vase. The profuse application of pigment and the sequence of dabs and short streaks of the florets further define the highlights and dimensionality on the floral arrangement, creating an effect of great optical richness. The compositional elements is further extenuated against a sombre backdrop enhanced with bold strokes and areas of contrasting greenish yellow that grounds the wooden panel on which the porcelain vessel set. This mastery in projecting the stark contrast between light and dark in dabs and streaks of colours and the circular curvature of the wooden panel are connotative of space and brings forth the essential compositional elements in this exquisite painting. In this regard, the art historian and critic Jean Selz had once remarked upon the way in which Vlaminck’s “striking contrasts of light and shade and introduction of more sombre tones all contribute to the harmony of Vlaminck's canvas. ”

The present lot represents a masterful consolidation of form that is both enticing and anchoring. It differs and contrasts with the artist’s Fauves canvases inspired largely by works of Van Gogh whom the artist remained a key proponent of up until the 1908, after which his palette become more monochromatic largely due to the influence and response to the works of Cézanne that he had observed at an exhibition, an encounter that constituted a significant phrase of transition in Vlaminck’s artistic development. This prolific phrase subsequently extended to a fruitful personal exhibition of larger scale in 1909, the same year that this exquisite painting was completed. In Vlaminck’s latter artistic endeavors, the artist demonstrated difficulty in accepting Cubism’s rise during the war in Paris when artistic modernism was undergoing a delicate transition from Fauvism to Cubism in France. In essence, Vlaminck sought to progress beyond a style much like Henri Matisse and André Derain, all whilst retaining his idiosyncratic and instinctive manner of the application of paint. In retrospect, Vlaminck had depicted various still-life in different stages during his various artistic phrases, which reflects the artist’s consistent endeavor in this genre and associated subject matter. It is apparent that Vlaminck had consistently explored the realms of still-life, whereby many of these works are manifestations of his reality or inner emotions in responses to his artistic indulgence during the various phrases of his artistic development at a particular point in time.

Nonetheless, Vase de fleurs is truly an exceptional work that represents a significant period of Vlaminck’s artistic endeavor, which parallels with his later works that predicates upon the utilization of a darker more sombre palette imbued with heavy strokes of contrasting whitish pigments, as epitomized by the present lot. Furthermore, it testifies to a distinguished maturity and mastery in techniques derived from a dedicated lifetime of constant experimentations with different genres of artistic influences that ultimately lead to the fruition of a stylistic approach that remained very dear to the artist’s heart. Vase de fleurs is truly a remarkable work, beautifully imbued with Vlaminck’s strident individual characteristics derived from a vibrant life of experiences from being a Violinist, an athlete, a writer, and a truly revolutionary and exceptional artist of the early 20th century.