Chrysanthemum

This painting comes from the final phase of my more realistic period, just before I transitioned to the more expressive style seen in later works such as the poppy and the physalis. Even here, I was beginning to experiment with dramatic lighting — an exploration that would later continue in the darker atmosphere of the poppy pods, though still framed within a classical, academic style.

The Chinese ginger jar at the center of the composition is a special object — one of my grandmother’s heirlooms that recurs in my work. The blue-decorated pot forms a stable base for the warm, orange chrysanthemums blooming above. The contrast between the cool, serene jar and the vibrant flowers creates a visual tension that runs through the entire piece.

Lighting plays a crucial role in this work. By placing the flowers against a dark background and selectively illuminating them, I created a chiaroscuro effect that highlights the texture of the chrysanthemum petals. The warm glow falls precisely on the rounded forms of the blossoms and subtly reveals the Chinese characters on the pot. This work reflects my fascination at the time with the technical challenge of realism, while already hinting at the more emotional approach that would follow.