Chrysanthemums 1920

Vanessa Bell made this oil painting, Chrysanthemums, probably in her studio, sometime in the early to mid-twentieth century. The palette is fairly muted, dusky pinks and greens, all placed against a dark background. It’s the kind of painting that gets better the longer you look at it. It is clear that Bell was really enjoying the materiality of paint. Look at the surface of the jug, the brushstrokes are chunky, almost sculptural, giving a real sense of texture. The paint is applied in layers, one over the other, to create depth and interest. Notice the rim of the jug, where the paint is almost crusty, like the edge of a loaf of bread. This adds a tactile quality to the work, it makes you want to reach out and touch it. Bell was a leading member of the Bloomsbury Group, and you can see something of their interest in interior decoration here. You might be reminded of the work of Gwen John, another contemporary painter interested in intimate, domestic scenes. Like John, Bell understands that painting is a conversation, a dialogue with the past, but also a way of seeing the world anew.