Antique French Floral Still Life Oil on Board, Signed A. Rouby, in Giltwood Frame

A bouquet of cornflower-blue asters, a white chrysanthemum, and a single golden rose, set in a small glass carafe against a deep, smoky ground. A few petals have already fallen to the table, which is the still-life painter's polite way of reminding us that nothing lasts. Except, as it turns out, the painting.

It's signed "A. Rouby" at upper left, and a matching name plaque is set into the frame. That points to Alfred Rouby (1849–1909), a French painter who exhibited at the Paris Salon and was known for exactly this sort of loose, luminous flower piece. The brushwork is quick and confident. Look at the glint on the carafe and the way the white petals are flicked in with a few strokes.

It's painted on board and presented in a deep giltwood frame with a warm, rubbed finish that lets a little red bole show through at the edges, the way a good old frame should.

Details

• Origin: France
• Medium: Oil on board
• Signed "A. Rouby" upper left; name plaque on frame
• Attributed to Alfred Rouby (1849–1909)
• Frame: Giltwood
• Dimensions (framed): 22" × 16.25"
• Condition: Antique, with craquelure and wear to the gilt frame consistent with age