#44034 Bernard Cathelin (1919-2004)

The composition centers around a bouquet of flowers arranged in a white vase. The artist has rendered this still life with a distinct emphasis on texture and expressive color application. A background of layered pinks and yellows creates a warm, diffused light that envelops the floral arrangement.
Here we see an energetic brushstroke throughout the canvas; the paint is applied thickly, creating visible ridges and impasto effects, particularly noticeable in the depiction of the flowers’ stems and petals. The blooms themselves are not rendered with precise botanical accuracy but rather as abstracted forms defined by bold color choices – blues, greens, yellows, and reds – that suggest their essence rather than a literal representation.
The vase is simplified to its essential form, appearing almost ghostly against the vibrant backdrop. It’s positioned slightly off-center, contributing to an overall sense of dynamism within the frame. The artists signature appears in the lower right corner, executed with a similar gestural quality as the rest of the work.
Subtly, there is a feeling of melancholy conveyed through the muted pink tones and the somewhat fragmented nature of the floral forms. While the colors are generally warm, they lack a certain vibrancy, suggesting perhaps a fleeting moment or a memory fading over time. The abstraction employed allows for multiple interpretations; it could be viewed as an exploration of beauty in decay, or simply as a celebration of color and form divorced from representational constraints.