Still Life with Chrysanthemums
(1882-1952)
Carles explored the subject of still life throughout his entire career and through multiple stylistic approaches. Though this small still life study appears relatively traditional compared with Carles’s later Cubist-inspired abstractions, this work still demonstrates his daring exploration of lyrical color harmonies and his interest in two-dimensional surface design. The colors are luscious and the paint handling is bold and confident.
Carles abstract still life paintings were his most groundbreaking and important works. This work, in particular, is a rare example of Carles’s early exploration of color and abstraction. While retaining essential elements of representational art, it is a beautiful example of American Modernism in its early stages.
