Alice Bernardine Esders (1910-1984) - Splendida natura morta floreale

A refined collectible artwork combining the rich, textured post-Impressionist painting of the renowned Belgian-born artist Alice Bernardine Esders (1910–1984). For personal reasons, she moved to Italy, first spending time on the Ligurian Riviera before later settling in Tuscany.
She began exhibiting actively in the 1960s, taking part in major local events such as Livorno’s celebrated Premio Rotonda and winning prestigious awards (including the “Spinetti” Prize in Florence in 1962). She spent the final years of her life between Livorno, Tirrenia and, eventually, Florence, where she died in 1984.
Stylistically, she is best known for her landscapes, seascapes and still lifes/floral compositions, characterized by a distinctly mature post-Impressionist style and rich, vibrant application of color.
Esders’s works stand out for the artist’s characteristic dense, substantial and vibrant brushwork, which captures the very essence and light of the floral composition without relying on geometric depth, emphasizing the pure substance of color.
This particular work is characterized by:
• The Palette-Knife Technique: The use of a palette knife is clearly visible in the petals of the central roses (yellow, orange and dusty pink). The paint is applied in thick layers (impasto), creating raised textures that catch the light and give the flowers a three-dimensional quality.
• The Late Impressionist Style: The dark, indistinct, almost misty background makes the bouquet’s vivid colors stand out. The flowers are not defined by precise outlines, but are “constructed” through patches of color and contrasts of light, a distinctive feature of the painter’s artistic maturity.
• The Signature: The artist’s signature is visible at the bottom right, written vertically in her characteristic hand. In addition, a metal plaque bearing her name is affixed to the lower part of the mount.
This is a highly representative example of Esders’s floral work, in which the force of the paint’s texture is combined with great delicacy in the choice of hues and composition.
Overall dimensions (including frame): 80 x 100 cm
Painting dimensions: 60 x 80 cm
Technical details: Protected by ordinary glass (not non-reflective). Framed in a sumptuous, substantial period gilt frame showing light, age-related signs of wear and a small dent, attesting to its authenticity. Metal plaque bearing the artist’s name.