Adolphe Borie, Flowers in an Urn

Borie developed a practice that combined the realist approach he absorbed from his mentors at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with the casual elegance, luminous color, and painterly sophistication of French Impressionism. He lived in Paris for several periods throughout his life and encouraged other American artists to embrace modern French painting. With its high-keyed color, Borie’s Flowers in an Urn is a celebration of beauty. A large pink peony-like flower draws the eye to the center of the painting while violet blooms create a dynamically off-centered arrangement.

Woodmere purchased this painting at auction in 2018 from the collection of Dorrance “Dodo” H. Hamilton (1928–2017), a great philanthropist and supporter of the Museum.