Bouquet of flowers
Maker
(artist)
1744-1819
1744-1819
Title
Bouquet of flowers
Date of Production
1780
Medium
graphite, pen and brown and black ink, watercolour and bodycolour, some areas with added gum arabic (now flaked off in areas and exhibiting craquelure), on paper cut into an oval, laid down
Dimensions
Height: 45.3 cm
Width: 38.1 cm
Width: 38.1 cm
Accession Number
D.1952.RW.4446
Mode of Acquisition
Robert Clermont Witt, bequest, 1952
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Label Text
Mary Moser's expertise in flower painting draws attention to the fact that this branch of still life was considered a suitable artistic activity for women. It was not thought to require intellectual effort and was regarded as ideally compatible with female sensibilities. Contemporary drawing manuals taught women how to observe and record nature in a particular way. This careful arrangement of individually studied flowers, set-off against a sky-blue background, conforms to teaching methods which equated female vision with decorative and pretty effects.
Provenance
anonymous sale, Christie's (London), 27 October 1950, lot 103; purchased there by Colnaghi (London) on behalf of Sir Robert Witt, London (1872-1952) (£25.4); Witt Bequest 1952
Exhibition History
Outgrowing: Flowers and female artists, 1700 to now, Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum, 28/01/2022-24/04/2022
Second Nature, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/06/2000-03/09/2000
Second Nature, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/06/2000-03/09/2000
Literature
Blunt, Anthony, Hand-list of the drawings in the Witt Collection, London, 1956
p. 35
Zweig, Marianne, 'Mary Moser' in 'The Connoisseur Year Book', 1956 - pp. 104-10
fig. 8 on p. 108
p. 35
Zweig, Marianne, 'Mary Moser' in 'The Connoisseur Year Book', 1956 - pp. 104-10
fig. 8 on p. 108
Inscriptions
Watermark: Watermark: unable to see as is laid down and covered in thick media.
Inscription: Recto: lower right edge, brush and brown wash, signed and dated by the artist: "M. Moser 1780".
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Recto: lower right edge, brush and brown wash, signed and dated by the artist: "M. Moser 1780".
Collector's mark: none.
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