Portuguese School Artist, Still Life with Flowers, Fruits and Utensils, Oil on Latex

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Still life with flowers, fruits and utensils. Descriptive title: still life with vase of flowers, fruits and utensils. Author: unidentified … Read more Still life with flowers, fruits and utensils. Descriptive title: still life with vase of flowers, fruits and utensils. Author: unidentified signature, possibly h. Brandão/brand… attribution: portuguese school. Declared technique: oil on platex. Support: pressed wood fiberboard. Dimensions: 58.5 × 110 cm. Frame: unframed; board reinforced on the back by a wooden structure. Orientation: horizontal/panoramic. Probable period: second half of the 20th century, approximately 1970–1990. Country of origin: portugal. Style: modern. Theme: floral and fruity still life. Panoramic still life depicting an abundant composition of flowers, fruits and household utensils arranged on a red table, against a dark background. To the left, a drawn red curtain introduces a scenographic effect and frames the composition. On the table are a metal ewer, a tilted bowl containing orange fruits, a bunch of dark grapes, and various rounded fruits. The right side is dominated by a large vase in shades of pink and brown, filled with a bouquet of stylized roses and daisy-like flowers in white, yellow, red, and orange. A second branch of daisies rests on the table, filling the lower right corner. The painting combines the traditional still-life scheme with a modern decorative execution. The flowers are constructed through curved, quick, and repeated brushstrokes, while the fruits and containers show simple modeling through light and shadow. The black background intensifies the chromatic saturation of the flowers, fruits, and the red surface. Signature - the signature is in white in the lower right corner, partially overlapping the vegetation and stems. The reading is not unequivocal. It seems to begin with an "h" or "m," followed by a surname that could be "brandão," "brandeiro," or similar. Technique and characteristics - the term "platex" is commonly used to designate a rigid board of wood fibers, similar to hardboard or masonite. This support was widely used in 20th-century decorative painting. The paint has a smooth and glossy appearance in the background, with thick and well-defined brushstrokes on the flowers. Although compatible with oil, some areas may also contain enamel or quick-drying paint. An exact confirmation would require an in-person examination. State of conservation - the work is in generally good condition. See less