Still Life With Peonies. Oil On Canvas. Robert Mahélin. 1930

Painter: Robert Mahélin (1889-1968). Robert Mahélin was a student of his father, Léon Louis Mahélin, a lithographer. He was a renowned artist in Montmartre at the beginning of the 20th century. He exhibited regularly at the Salon des Artistes Français, the Salon Violet, and the Salon des Indépendants from 1927 to 1950. His work is varied: paintings, pastels, lithographs. This elegant and refined still life highlights a magnificent bouquet of peonies. The white and pink peonies are arranged in a dark red vase, which contrasts with the flowers. The bouquet rests on a pedestal table decorated with a typical 1930s motif, bringing a modern touch to the classic still life setting. The background of the painting is a neutral gray gradient, which allows the flowers to stand out brightly. The composition as a whole exudes an atmosphere of calm and sophistication. The painting is signed lower left. This painting has been restored (the canvas was mounted on a stretcher, cleaned, varnished and framed in an antique frame). The painting measures 64 × 50 cm without the frame and 76 × 61 cm with the frame. Oil on canvas.