The Bouquet of Violets
ca. 1877–78
Medium
Pastel on wove paper
Dimensions
9 7/8 x 7 1/2 in. (25.1 x 19.1 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019
Accession Number
2019.141.12
Tags
Art Historical Context
Eva Gonzalès's *The Bouquet of Vio* (ca. 1877–78) is a tender pastel on wove paper, measuring a modest 9⅞ × 7½ inches. This intimate work, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Paintings (classified as a drawing), depicts a woman gracefully holding a bouquet of vio—the delicate purple flowers evoking modesty and affection in 19th-century symbolism. Acquired through the 2019 bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, it exemplifies Gonzalès's skill in capturing quiet, everyday elegance. As one of the few women associated with French Impressionism, Gonzalès—student and ...