Collect: American and European Art

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Provenance:

The Artist

The Estate of the Artist

By descent in the family of the Artist

Private Collection, United Kingdom

Lot Note:

Emma Fordyce MacRae’s still lifes are marked by her distinctive compositional strategy, which often combined elements from different cultures and periods. Rather than merely depicting floral arrangements, MacRae thoughtfully selected vessels and objects from her personal collection to play an integral role in her compositions. These containers, ranging from simple ceramic pots to ornate Chinese vases, not only held the flowers but also contributed to the balance and visual harmony of the scene. Sometimes they offered relief from more complex floral patterns; other times, they served as compositional anchors.

In the present still life, MacRae places a cluster of foxgloves and lilies in a dual-handled Capodimonte ceramic vase, whose soft pastel tones and sturdy form provide a grounding counterpoint to the dark background and to the vertical rhythm of the blossoms. The vase itself, with its rounded curves and decorative banding, is characteristic of the types she reused across works. As in many of her floral pieces, MacRae creates a still and timeless atmosphere—what one critic described as “placid moods with luminous color.”