Attributed to Benjamin Champney
Medium: Oil on Board
Creation Year: c. 1880s
Dimensions: 7.75 x 10.5 inches
Style: Still Life
Period: Late 19th Century
Condition: Excellent
Description: This delicate floral still life, attributed to Benjamin Champney, captures a quiet yet powerful moment in nature through the humble pansy. Set against a dark, atmospheric background, the flowers emerge in striking contrast, their tones of deep burgundy, violet, pale lavender, and creamy white glowing with subtle highlights. The composition emphasizes both variety and harmony, with blossoms at different stages of bloom lending a natural rhythm and authenticity to the scene.
Champney, celebrated for his White Mountain landscapes, was also skilled in creating intimate studies of natural subjects. Here, the painterly attention to texture and color demonstrates a sensitivity to both the fragility and resilience of flowers. The layered brushwork gives each petal a velvety depth, while the surrounding foliage grounds the composition with tonal richness.
The pansy, often associated with remembrance and thoughtfulness, adds symbolic weight to the work, transforming a simple bouquet into something reflective and enduring. This piece highlights Champney’s ability to balance grandeur with intimacy, whether in expansive landscapes or close studies of nature, and affirms his versatility as one of New England’s prominent 19th-century artists.
Attributed to Benjamin Champney
Medium: Oil on Board
Creation Year: c. 1880s
Dimensions: 7.75 x 10.5 inches
Style: Still Life
Period: Late 19th Century
Condition: Excellent
Description: This delicate floral still life, attributed to Benjamin Champney, captures a quiet yet powerful moment in nature through the humble pansy. Set against a dark, atmospheric background, the flowers emerge in striking contrast, their tones of deep burgundy, violet, pale lavender, and creamy white glowing with subtle highlights. The composition emphasizes both variety and harmony, with blossoms at different stages of bloom lending a natural rhythm and authenticity to the scene.
Champney, celebrated for his White Mountain landscapes, was also skilled in creating intimate studies of natural subjects. Here, the painterly attention to texture and color demonstrates a sensitivity to both the fragility and resilience of flowers. The layered brushwork gives each petal a velvety depth, while the surrounding foliage grounds the composition with tonal richness.
The pansy, often associated with remembrance and thoughtfulness, adds symbolic weight to the work, transforming a simple bouquet into something reflective and enduring. This piece highlights Champney’s ability to balance grandeur with intimacy, whether in expansive landscapes or close studies of nature, and affirms his versatility as one of New England’s prominent 19th-century artists.
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