Olympe Mouette Géninartist • painterFranse School, vermoedelijk 1785-1862

In 18th century painting, flower still lifes with bouquets were depicted lushly and very faithfully in the most beautiful phase of their flowering, sometimes enlivened with fruit, insects or a bird's nest with eggs and carefully arranged in a vase or terracotta pot on a stone plinth. The flowers depicted were largely alien specimens that were painted after nature if the artist could find them among growers and were otherwise taken from botanical textbooks. The expression of matter, the way in which the surface of objects, flowers and fruits was displayed, was of great importance. The skill with which shiny glass, precious porcelain or flowers were depicted as if you could touch or pick them up, largely determined the reputation of the painter or painter(es) and thus the prices of their paintings.