Juan Francisco Vidaller (1925) - Chrysanthemums and bamboo

Chrysanthemums and bamboo in balance
Style: Figurative Post-Impressionism / Lyrical Realism
Pictorial school: Spanish school of the 20th century (Mediterranean decorative tradition).

Technical sheet

Author: Juan Francisco Vidaller (1925)
Chronology: 20th century, second half.
Technique: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 60 × 73 cm
Measurements with frame: 77 × 90 cm
Signature: Signed in the bottom right corner.
Condition: Very good
Marco: A carved and gilded wooden frame, with a classic profile, well-proportioned and of artisanal quality, which enhances the decorative and pictorial character of the work.

2. Compositional and iconographic description

The work features a floral still life dominated by an exuberant bouquet of multicolored chrysanthemums — white, yellow, red, and pink — arranged in a central vase, accompanied by stylized bamboo stalks that rise vertically in the background. The composition is structured through a balance between dense floral masses and open spaces, achieving a visual harmony of great serenity.

The brushstroke is thick and expressive, especially on the petals, where the impasto adds volume and vitality.

The neutral, warm, and slightly textured background acts as a silent counterpoint that emphasizes the color and gestural quality of the bouquet. Iconographically, the work alludes to the classical tradition of still life as a symbol of ephemeral beauty and contemplation, reinterpreted through a modern sensibility.

3. Style, School, and Comparative Valuation

Juan Francisco Vidaller is inscribed in the tradition of 20th-century Spanish lyrical realism, close to a Mediterranean-rooted post-impressionist sensibility.

His treatment of color and matter recalls, in a decorative key, certain floral still lifes by Joaquim Mir, Anglada Camarasa in his more restrained aspect, or even the compositional elegance of Henri Fantin-Latour, albeit with a freer and more expressive language.

The work stands out for its balance between academic craftsmanship and gestural freedom, offering an honest painting, well-executed, and of notable decorative appeal.

It is a representative piece of 20th-century Spanish floral painting, with a solid aesthetic presence and a quality frame that enhances its display and collectible value.