Japanese Peonies

This delightful work was probably a stand-alone study. Often friends would bring flowers to Sir Lawrence and in this case he passionately painted them with assurity and sensitivity. It was painted in his St John's Wood studio with the well-known green glass vase which appears in his oil In the Corner of My Studio (Swanson, op. cit., no. 356, 1892) and A Flag of Truce (Swanson, op. cit., no. 395, 1900). The vase rests on Tadema's pianoforte with the studio's green variegated marble pilaster seen behind. The beautifully painted red and pink Japanese peonies compare favourably with the best florals of Henri Fantin-Latour. They are vigorously painted and delicately conceived. Tadema usually painted on mahogany panel, painting on card-board was quite unusual, which argues for the idea that it was a 'spur of the moment' inspiration to paint these peonies. The picture remained in the studio until the artist's death and was sold in his estate auction by Hampton and Sons. The artist's daughter, Anna Alma-Tadema certified a number of her father's and mother's unsigned and initialled artwork in preparation for the Hampton and Sons sale.

We are grateful to Dr Vern Swanson for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.