A Bouquet of Flowers

Peeters helped establish European still life, a field accessible to women excluded from nude-model training. Precise flowers include fading blooms and insect damage. Observation of plants accompanies signs of change, while her signature on the ledge asserts authorship.

A large pink rose opens near the centre. Its detailed form reveals the arrangement and unfolding of petals.

A dark glass vase holds the stems. The restrained vessel concentrates attention on the gathered plants’ variety.

A red-and-white striped tulip rises on the right. Precise petal markings make the plant itself a subject of interest.

A pale open flower stands beside the rose. Comparing different plants requires close observation of their structure.

A small white flower lies on the stone ledge. Flowers separated from the bouquet recall the limited life of cut plants.

Pink and red flowers rest at the lower right. The ledge provides space for separate observations and the artist’s signature.

Peeters’s biography is reconstructed chiefly from her paintings. Signatures and reflected self-portraits elsewhere assert her authorship. Flower painting offered an important demonstration of skill within restricted opportunities for women’s training.