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Irving Penn — Ranunculus/ Ranunculus asiaticus: Picotee (New York)
Irving Penn

Ranunculus/ Ranunculus asiaticus: Picotee (New York)

A striking close-up of a ranunculus flower fills the frame with Penn's characteristic precision and formal elegance, its delicate layered petals rendered in rich, velvety tones through the luminous quality of the pigment print. Penn's masterful use of light and shadow transforms this botanical subject into a near-abstract study of texture and form, elevating the humble flower to the status of a timeless still life. The work reflects Penn's lifelong fascination with finding beauty and complexity in everyday objects, capturing the ranunculus with an intimacy that is both scientific and deeply aesthetic.

Medium
Pigment print.

🔨 Auction Lot

Photographs Day Sale

April 2, 2015

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About this work

Irving Penn, Ranunculus/ Ranunculus asiaticus: Picotee (New York)

A striking close-up of a ranunculus flower fills the frame with Penn's characteristic precision and formal elegance, its delicate layered petals rendered in rich, velvety tones through the luminous quality of the pigment print. Penn's masterful use of light and shadow transforms this botanical subject into a near-abstract study of texture and form, elevating the humble flower to the status of a timeless still life. The work reflects Penn's lifelong fascination with finding beauty and complexity in everyday objects, capturing the ranunculus with an intimacy that is both scientific and deeply aesthetic.

Medium
Pigment print.
Seen at
Phillips, New York, London, Hong Kong

Related themes

20th Century, Pigment Print, Studio Photography, Male Artist, Modernist, American Photographer, Elegant Mood, Floral Photography, Neutral Tones, Master Photographer, Still Life

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