Fleurs dans un pot de Delft (Flowers in a Delft Pot)
Painting on canvas • Paul Cézanne
Style & Movement
Post-Impressionism / Impressionism (Transition period)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, employing heavy impasto, visible modular brushstrokes, and wet-on-wet technique typical of Post-Impressionism.
Creation Period
Circa 1873-1875
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 41 x 27 cm; Portrait orientation
Subject Description
A still life featuring a vibrant bouquet of multicolored flowers (dahlias and delphiniums) arranged in a blue-and-white Delftware porcelain vase. The composition sits on a table against a dark, simplified background. A few fallen orange petals lie on the table surface, adding a narrative touch of temporal transience.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Very Good; the paint layer appears stable with healthy impasto, though localized fine craquelure is visible in the thicker lead-white areas.
Estimated Market Value
USD 5,000,000 - 10,000,000 (Based on historical sales of early Cézanne floral still lives from the Gachet period).
Auction Estimate
USD 6,000,000 - 9,000,000
Provenance History
Formerly in the collection of Dr. Paul Gachet, Auvers-sur-Oise. Later passed to private collections and notably associated with the Musee d'Orsay donation (though this specific version is often cited in various private and museum catalogs of Cézanne's oeuvre).
Art Historical Significance
This work is a critical example of Cézanne's period at Auvers-sur-Oise under the influence of Camille Pissarro. It marks his transition from the 'dark' romantic period to a lighter Impressionist palette, while retaining the structural mass that would eventually lead to Cubism.
Notable Features
Features the prominent 'P. Cezanne' signature in the lower left. The use of the Delft pot is a recurring motif in several works from this specific years in Auvers.
Condition Issues
Minor surface dirt and slightly yellowed varnish. Micro-cracking (craquelure) consistent with age in the sky-blue and white pigment areas.
Conservation Recommendations
Surface cleaning by a qualified conservator and application of a fresh, reversible UV-protective varnish. Maintain at 20°C and 50% relative humidity. Use of museum-grade non-reflective glass.