Jules Ferdinand MÉDARD (1855 – 1925), Rosehips

The work depicts a group of wild roses, most likely eglantines. Also known as the hedge rose, this shrub from the Rosaceae family goes by the Latin name of ‘rosa canina’.
Here, the flowers with their delicately pink petals stand out against a green background that evokes the flora of an undergrowth or hedgerow.
The motif of wild and ancient roses can be found in medieval and Renaissance collections of poems, and again in the 19th century.
The artist was able to depict numerous botanical details, such as the yellow stamens of the rose-hip flowers, to emphasise their vivacity.
Médard's colour palette was made up of soft, light shades such as pale pinks and soft greens. He also used soft, diffused golden light to give the work a morning or twilight mood.
The painter Jules Médard contributed to the softening and brightening of flower painting in the Lyon region, moving away from the Nordic tradition.
Born in Anzin, not far from Valenciennes, Jules Médard studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Lyon and then in the studio of the painter Jean-Marie Reignier, who specialised in painting flowers. He began exhibiting at the Paris Salon in 1878 and then opened a studio on Quai Saint-Antoine (Lyon 2), accepting many pupils.