Roses in a Basket on a Table 1876

Henri Fantin-Latour made this painting, Roses in a Basket on a Table, using oil paint on canvas. Look closely at the surface of the painting. Fantin-Latour applied the oil paint in thick layers, building up the forms of the roses with a loaded brush. This impasto technique gives the painting a tactile quality; you can almost feel the velvety texture of the petals. The painting's dark background throws the roses into sharp relief. Fantin-Latour was particularly interested in the way light interacts with the surfaces of objects. The roses, arranged in a woven basket, are not just a representation of nature but also a testament to the artist's craft. His process of layering paint mimics the way a gardener might cultivate a rose, slowly coaxing it into bloom. Fantin-Latour's focus on process and materiality elevates what might otherwise be a simple still life into a study of form, light, and the artist's hand.