Raymond Rochette (1906–1993) French Floral Still Life

A wonderfully saturated floral still life by Raymond Rochette (1906–1993), a documented French painter from Le Creusot in Burgundy. Thick, almost sculptural strokes build a compact bouquet of crimson, magenta, violet, and electric purple blooms against an earthy neutral ground. Deep green foliage anchors all that color, giving the little painting an incredible amount of presence for its size.

Rochette began painting in the early 1920s and exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français in Paris by 1929. Although he painted landscapes, portraits, still lifes, and scenes of everyday life throughout a career spanning roughly seven decades, he became particularly known for his paintings of the massive steelworks at Le Creusot and the men who worked there. In 1949 he was finally granted permission to paint inside the factory itself, producing the industrial subjects for which he is now best known. Rochette le Peintre

His work is held in French public collections, including the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon, Musée de Saint-Étienne, Musée Baron-Martin, Ecomusée Creusot Montceau, as well as collections of the French State and City of Paris. The French Ministry of Culture's national collections database documents numerous works by Rochette. POP

This intimate floral shows a much softer side of an artist better known for monumental industry. The heavy, confident brushwork is especially good here—the flowers are built from chunky passages of color rather than carefully delineated petals, giving the bouquet an almost modern, expressionistic quality.

The painting is signed “R. Rochette” lower left and retains an older biographical label for Raymond Rochette on the reverse.

Details

• Original painting by Raymond Rochette (1906–1993)
• French, 20th century
• Floral still life
• Richly textured, expressive brushwork
• Signed “R. Rochette” lower left
• Artist biographical label retained on reverse
• Painting on artist board
• Unframed
• Sourced in France

Dimensions
7.75" W x 7.5" H

Condition
Vintage condition with age-related surface and edge wear. The reverse retains an older biographical label identifying the artist. Please review photographs closely for condition.

Tiny but mighty: jewel-toned flowers from a French painter whose work hangs in museum and public collections across France.