Flowers in a Crystal Vase

Manet's flower paintings of the 1880s, of which Flowers in a Crystal Vase is a fine example, were painted partly from necessity: as his health deteriorated and outdoor painting became difficult, arrangements of cut flowers from his studio or garden became accessible subjects. These intimate canvases also had commercial appeal — dealers and collectors responded enthusiastically to them as finished works distinct from the controversial figure paintings that had defined his reputation. The National Gallery of Art's crystal vase, likely arranged on a table in his studio, shows roses or peonies rendered with the rapid, assured brushwork of a painter long past needing to labor over effects.

The transparency of the crystal vase is handled by suggesting rather than literally depicting its refracting properties — a few strokes of cool grey and blue convey glass without laborious rendering. The flowers above are painted with loaded, directional strokes that capture bloom without describing petal by petal.