Offering of the Day: An Intricate Botanical Watercolor by Noted Dutch Artist Georgius van Os

Georgius van Os (1782-1861)

Untitled ["Still-Life on a Marble Ledge"]

Watercolor and pencil on paper

Paper size: 14 3/4” x 18 1/4”; Framed size: 24” x 27 1/2”

$35,000

Georgius van Os was one of a group of exceptionally fine Dutch flower painters working in France in the early 19th century.  The son of the renowned 18th century flower painter Jan van Os, Georgius was an accomplished and independent-minded artist in his own right.

Born in Haarlem, van Os divided his time between France and the Netherlands from 1812 onwards.  He painted porcelain for Sevres, and produced an impressive body of oils and watercolors throughout his life.

Van Os' watercolors are remarkable for their impressive level of finish.  While many other artists used the medium to create studies for oils, van Os created exceptionally rich finished watercolors, of which this still-life is a fine example.   This characteristic work combines flowers in an elaborate composition, demonstrating his thorough command of color and form.  "Still-Life on a Marble Ledge" is an attractive work in the finest tradition of Dutch still-life painting.