Painting Roses, artist Maxim Babich

• Artist: Maxim Babich
• Title: "Roses"
• Year: 2007
• Size: 60 × 49 cm
• Materials: hardboard, oil, frame
• Original hand-painted painting

At the centre of the horizontal composition is a lush bouquet of creamy yellow roses in a round, clear glass vase. Heavy blooms on long stems lean in different directions: some rise upward, others hang down almost to the edge of the table, so the bouquet looks wide and sprawling. Green stems and reflections of foliage are visible through the glass. To the right of the vase stands a small dark blue vessel with golden sparks, and beside it a single fallen rose lies on the tabletop. The lower edge of the painting is taken up by an ochre band of table, while the background is a free grey-lilac space against which the bouquet stands out in particularly strong relief.

The painting is executed in oil on hardboard in an impressionist manner. The artist models the roses with dense, impasto strokes of light paint, leaving warm ochre and orange shadows in the petals, which creates a sense of volume and velvety softness. The leaves are painted with energetic elongated strokes in various shades of green, from light lime to deep emerald. The background is laid in with a broad brush and visible texture, mixing grey, bluish and pinkish tones. The glass of the vase is conveyed by a few light highlights and transparent green reflections, without excessive detail. The lively, vibrating texture of the brushwork makes the flowers seem alive, as if gently stirring in the air of the room.

The palette is soft and light: creamy yellow roses, the juicy green of the leaves and a silvery lilac background create a calm, refined harmony. The only deep dark accent is the blue vessel on the right, which balances the composition and emphasises the lightness of the flowers. The ochre tabletop adds warmth to the lower part of the picture. The mood of the still life is quiet and slightly nostalgic: it seems the roses have stood in the room for several days, opened fully, and one of them has already dropped its head onto the table.

"I am a free artist working in easel painting in the impressionist style. I love to paint sunlight and colour," says Maxim Babich of himself. In his work he seeks to convey a living impression of nature and the state of a particular moment.

In the photo the painting is shown in a white frame with a narrow gilded insert that supports the light palette of the roses well. At 60 × 49 cm, the work suits a living room, bedroom or dining room and fits easily into almost any interior — from classic to contemporary with light walls. The delicate cream flowers make the painting a wonderful gift for a woman for a birthday, anniversary, wedding anniversary or simply as a token of attention.