Flowers in a Tall Vase

Dateca. 1840

Artist E. J. Knowlton (active ca. 1840)

MediumWatercolor on paper

DimensionsPrimary Support: 13 1/2 x 10in. (34.3 x 25.4cm) and Framed: 15 3/4 x 12 1/4in.

Credit LineGift of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

Object number1931.303.6

DescriptionAn arrangement of assorted flowers in a tall, gray, footed vase on a gray block. The flowers include roses, promroses, and lilies; some foliage is also included. No background or table top is shown.

The 1 1/4-inch flat frame, stained brown, is possibly original.
Label TextE. J. Knowlton probably was a student who copied this composition from a print. The flowers and leaves are crisply stenciled, while the gray, unbalanced vase probably resulted from improper registration of the stencils, suggesting the artist's unfamiliarity with the technique. By imaginative use of a brush, Knowlton simulated the rose thorns with minute dabs of paint, a tedious process referred to as stippling in some instruction books.
InscribedSigned below the vase in faint pencil: "E. J. Knowlton".
ProvenanceJuliana Force (1876-1948), Holicong, Pa.; Edith Gregor Halpert, Downtown Gallery, New York, NY; Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who was CWF's donor.