Three Vases of Flowers | Narodna galerija

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The painting is signed and dated at the bottom left: C. L. Reuling 1767. It shows various kinds of spring flowers arranged in three vases: a monumentally large vase of classical form and two glass jars of different sizes. The originality of the picture lies in this very juxtaposition of the central element, which follows the motif of the classic 17th century still life in France and Italy, with two more modest and more everyday vessels.

In view of the composition, it would appear that the artist knew the work of Franz Werner von Tamm (Hamburg 1658 – Vienna 1724) – the flowers in the central bouquet and the way they are arranged are vaguely reminiscent of his work – while the brushwork shows the influence of French 18th century painting. Furthermore, the large vase, with its decorative reliefs showing putti playing, also suggests a knowledge of the French academic and decorative still life painters such as Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer and Jean-Baptiste Blin de Fontenay.

Artist Karl Ludwig Reuling

Year of creation 1767

Technique oil, canvas

Dimensions 82 x 65 cm

Inventory number ZD S 1994026, Central Technical Library, Ljubljana

Collection 1700–1800

Restored: 1983, Kemal Selmanović.
Provenance: Unknown. FCC 1945; lent to the Central Technical Library to furnish a room around 1951; transferred to the Narodna galerija for exhibition in 1994.
Exhibitions: 1983, Ljubljana, No. 76; 1985, Belgrade, No. 41; 1989, Ljubljana, No. 53.
Lit.: Zeri [& Rozman] 1983, p. 148, Cat. No. 76, Fig. 80; Zeri and Rozman 1989, p. 67, Cat. No. 53, Fig. 52.