Rosenbluten

Pale roses tumble across this 1890 watercolor by Austrian artist Marie Egner, their creamy petals brushed with the faintest blush of pink. Soft green leaves and small dabs of red keep the blossoms company, while the bare paper peeks through here and there. Egner worked with a light touch and loose strokes, giving the flowers a fresh, casual feeling, as though she painted them quickly before they had a chance to fade.

Egner made her mark as a woman painter in Vienna at a time when the art world did not always welcome women into professional careers. She studied under the respected landscape painter Emil Jakob Schindler and earned a good reputation for her flower pieces and garden scenes. Watercolor was a natural fit for her, since the medium rewards quick thinking and a steady, confident hand, both of which she clearly had.

This is a gentle work rather than a bold one, and it never pretends to be anything more. The quiet subject and unfussy handling are its real appeal. Sometimes a painting of flowers, made by someone who simply liked looking at them, is enough on its own.