Tamara de Lempicka: Bouquet d'hortensias et citron

Tamara de Lempicka


(1898-1980)

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Bouquet d'hortensias et citron


Painted in 1922


Oil on canvas


55,2 x 46,2 x 2cm

Tamara de Lempicka’s Bouquet d’hortensias et citron captures a brief, intriguing moment in the artist’s evolution—when she turned her attention from the female figure to the quieter world of the still life. Though she only explored this genre briefly in the 1920s, this painting stands out as a refined and intentional composition, where ordinary objects are paired in ways that feel subtly dissonant.


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The hydrangeas and lemons, though beautifully rendered, seem to exist in separate emotional spaces, an early example of the spatial and psychological detachment that would later characterize her multi-figure compositions.


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The painting also marks a transitional moment in the artist's technique. While her later works move toward the crisp edges and high-gloss surfaces of Art Deco Precisionism, this painting retains a softer, more painterly touch. It reflects both experimentation and refinement, offering a subtle yet powerful insight into how Lempicka could turn even a simple tabletop arrangement into a modern visual statement.