Summer by Tamara de Lempicka

This charming floral composition admirably illustrates the revival of figurative portraiture in the high-society painting of the interwar period. The virtuoso Tamara de Lempicka orchestrates here a poetic encounter between vegetal delicacy and human sophistication. At the heart of the canvas named “Summer (Lempicka)”, the artist explores female sensuality through a bucolic and modern prism, affirming her unique style characterized by sharp shapes and a vibrant palette.

The tilted face of a young woman immediately captures attention with its pensive and soft expression. Her dark eyes outlined in black contrast with the diaphanous whiteness of her skin and the bright red of her full lips. She wears a large white straw hat with soft brims that casts a subtle shadow on her forehead. Against her chest dressed in a white fabric with delicate folds, she clasps a magnificent bouquet composed of brilliant poppies, white daisies with a yellow heart, and cornflowers of a deep blue. Her right hand with slender and manicured fingers rests gracefully on the stems in the foreground.

The creator’s artisanal skill shines through the masterly rendering of contrasted textures. She demonstrates exceptional ease in juxtaposing the fluidity of flower petals and the firmness of anatomical volumes. This mastery of directed light gives the portrait a vibrant realism and a striking depth.