Figure with flowers

This small enigmatic picture shows a figure in white, and large hands gently holding a beautiful arrangement of coloured flowers. Although the figure could be that of a man, it may be that of an elderly woman, whose soft, gentle features appear in several studies by Swanzy. The face is gentle, reflective, as if remembering her past: her youth, her wedding in a long white dress, and a gift of flowers, red, white, blue, green, pink and yellow. The large hands are the dominant feature in the picture; it is not quite clear whether they belong to the woman, or to another insubstantial figure who is presenting a gift. The image of large hands is one that appears in several pictures by Swanzy, including Weeping Woman. (see lot 294).
J.C.