Room 28

Look for a small insect among the petals, or a reflection on the vase. The flower painters here devoted close attention to individual surfaces. A bloom can appear fragile, waxy or almost transparent depending on the way light meets it. The whole bouquet may be less literal than any one flower. Artists sometimes combined species that blossom at different times of year, making an arrangement that could not be gathered fresh all at once. International trade and a growing interest in plants helped feed demand for these pictures. Compare a tightly balanced bouquet with a looser arrangement, and notice how the painter leads your eye through it.