1970s Still Life Oil Painting of Pink and Yellow Roses by A. E. Walker

A 1970s still life oil painting of pink and yellow roses in a green bowl by an open window, signed A. E. Walker. Sunshine pours through an open window onto a generous bunch of garden roses in this bright and cheerful still life, signed in the lower right corner. Butter yellow and raspberry pink blooms crowd together in a round lime green bowl, mixed with frothy sprays of tiny white flowers and glossy dark leaves, and one pink rose leans out to rest on the sill. Dappled light spills across the table in patches of apricot, lemon and lilac, and the window frame glows pale cream on the right.

Height: 69cm (27.2in)
Width: 59cm (23.2in)
Measured including the frame

The paint is handled with real confidence. Up close each petal is just a few quick strokes of colour, and the table top dissolves into pure light and shadow, but step back and the flowers come into focus, fresh and full. It has the feel of a picture painted quickly on a summer morning before the roses dropped, and it brings that same warmth into a room.

Painted in oil on board, it measures 69 x 59 cm including its frame. The cream painted frame has a textured outer moulding and a natural linen slip, very typical of the 1960s and 70s, and it keeps the look light and fresh. There is some light wear to the frame and a small mark on the linen slip. It is strung and ready to hang.

This is a picture that lifts a room straight away. Hang it in a kitchen, above a dining table or in a sunny hallway, or prop it on a dresser with a jug of real flowers in front. The yellows and pinks sit happily with green glazed pottery, painted furniture and floral fabrics, and it brings summer indoors through the darkest months. Unlike real roses, it won't need fresh water every other day.