A Quiet Encounter

Last exhibit in partnership with Louvre now on display

Abraham Mignon’s “Flowers in a Crystal Vase on a Stone Pedestal, with a Dragonfly” is one of the highlights of the “Simple Pleasures of Still Life” exhibit. The oil-on-canvas was provided by the Louvre in Paris and can be viewed at Crystal Bridges until Sept. 14.
Abraham Mignon’s “Flowers in a Crystal Vase on a Stone Pedestal, with a Dragonfly” is one of the highlights of the “Simple Pleasures of Still Life” exhibit. The oil-on-canvas was provided by the Louvre in Paris and can be viewed at Crystal Bridges until Sept. 14.

It took guts to paint flowers in 19th-century America.

Artists like De Scott Evans, who signed his still life "Daisies" as S.S. David, chose to use pseudonyms to conceal their identities.

FAQ

American Encounters:

The Simple Pleasures of Still Life

WHEN — Through Sept. 14

WHERE — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville

COST — Free

INFO — 418-5700 or crystalbridges.org

"At that time, artists were still very much concerned about their reputations when they painted still lifes because of art academy standards," says Manuela Well-Off-Man, a curator at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville.

While artists had long found inspiration in a bouquet of flowers, an apple, a favorite book or a well-worn pipe, still life paintings didn't become popular in the United States until nearly 200 years after Europeans pioneered the genre in the 17th century.

The works of the daring artists who contributed to the development of still life paintings in the United States can be viewed until Sept. 14 at Crystal Bridges as part of the "American Encounters: The Simple Pleasures of Still Life" exhibit.

The exhibit is the final installment in the "American Encounters" series, consisting of works contributed by Crystal Bridges, the Louvre in Paris, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Terra Foundation for American Art, the latter of which does not have a physical location.

Previous exhibits displayed at participating museums showcased landscape, genre and portrait paintings.

"By sharing our collections, we make art available that we normally wouldn't be able to show from these European masters," Well-Off-Man says. "It's a great way for our audience to learn the origins of different art genres. Not only is it a great art experience but a great learning experience."

The current 10-piece exhibit -- which includes three works from the Crystal Bridges collection -- explores the evolution of still life painting in the United States. Social, economic and political changes caused by the Industrial Revolution were reflected in American still lifes as objects that symbolized an evolving state.

"Today's audience, we have lost so much knowledge about the meaning of things, but at that time, people knew exactly what they were looking at," Well-Off-Man says. "It's really fascinating to unpeel different layers of meaning."

One highlight of the exhibit is Abraham Mignon's "Flowers in a Crystal Vase on a Stone Pedestal, with a Dragonfly," which was provided by the Louvre.

The painting depicts exotic pink and white flowers in various states of decay. While some are buds bursting into bloom, others have wilted and drooped over the crystal vase. Through the painting, Mignon conveyed a message to viewers on the brevity of life.

Though U.S. artists had long drawn inspiration from European still life traditions, they began using their own experiences to create a distinctly American style of art.

"Colonists would have found still lifes like Mignon's inappropriate because it's really ostentatious," Well-Off-Man says. "American artists really focused on objects that were grown on American soil, and they celebrated American craftsmanship."

For example, Crystal Bridges' "Corn and Cantaloupe" by Raphaelle Peale -- who is considered the first professional still life painter in the United States -- depicts typical American produce, such as sweet corn, sweet potatoes and cantaloupe that grew locally in Maryland, Peale's home state.

"Small Change" by John Haberle also uses distinctly American objects to convey a message about the changes in the United Sates after the Civil War. His painting of two worn bills and some coins was so realistic that the U.S. Secret Service suspected him of counterfeiting money and ordered him to stop working.

Along with the paintings, the exhibit includes a Still Life Studio where visitors can draw or photograph their own still lifes using provided materials, such as plastic fruit, books, flowers, tin pails and wicker baskets.

"Sometimes guests like to learn in different ways, not only reading, but through hands-on, interactive activities," Well-Off-Man says. "This gives you a better understanding about composition, lighting, art techniques and methods."

Visitors are encouraged to upload the images to social media with the hashtag #AmericanEncounters.

NAN What's Up on 06/26/2015

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