The Black Vase With White Roses. Still Life Flowers. Lucien Lantier.

Painter: Lucien Lantier (1879-1960). He was born to French parents in Odessa in Ukraine in the southeast of Bessarabia, present-day Moldova. He left his parents in 1889 to study at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Very gifted in drawing, he worked between Paris and Odessa, then traveled to Moscow and Petrograd (Saint Petersburg) where he organized exhibitions. One of his paintings was very noticed by Prince Félix Youssoupof, who introduced him to the court of Tsar Nicholas II where he made many portraits. During the First World War, Lantier returned to France to fight for the French army. After the war, he painted his youth in Bessarabia and Russia. This painting, an oil on canvas, represents a delicate still life highlighting a bouquet of white roses. The flowers are elegantly arranged in a black, round vase, placed on a beautiful black wooden console that accentuates the contrast between the depth of the vase and the brightness of the roses. Next to the vase, two Russian-style teapots, accompanied by a cup, add a touch of sophistication and culture to the composition. On the left side, a painting hanging on the wall attracts the eye, while at the bottom left, another painting creates an intriguing effect, depicting an elegant woman. The painter's signature, cleverly placed in the painting, seems to be a wink. It is dated September 22, 1935. The brushstroke is smooth, but has areas where the texture is more apparent, revealing the artist's technical mastery. The painting is countersigned on the back and located Verdun. Dimensions: 53 × 41 cm without frame and 63 × 51.5 cm with the frame.