Georges Rouault

This work displays a tessellated quality reminiscent of stained glass windows, and many of the distinctive characteristics of Rouault's later work are a legacy of his apprenticeship in the studio of the stained glass maker Hirsch. The artist retained an enduring passion for this craft, and the juxtaposition of the vibrant greens, yellows and reds and the use of heavy contours resembling the lead tracery reflect his early training. Flowers became an increasingly common subject in Rouault's work later in his career. Bernard Dorival attributes the prevalence of flowers to Rouault's spiritual evolution in the post-war years, which resulted in a renewed appreciation of 'the beauty of one of the most marvellous of nature's creations: The Flower' (Bernard Dorival & Isabelle Rouault, op. cit., p. 14).