BIBI ZOGBÉ (1890, SAHEL ALMA - 1973, MAR DEL PLATA)

Referred to as ‘La Pintura de Flores’ or ‘the flower painter’, Bibi Zogbé’s sobriquet is reflective of her characteristic depiction of flowers and shrubs seen in this painting: De Mi Jardin (From My Garden). Painted in 1964, the work shares its name with a group of Zogbé’s works that depict the explosive energy of natural vegetation. Inspired by her childhood memories of growing up in Lebanon, from where at the age of sixteen she immigrated to Argentina and lived between her residences in Buenos Aires and Punta del Este in Uruguay, this stunning composition with fiery gobs of oil blends the hues of different seasons in one frame.

From the flowering of apple and cherry blossoms in spring to the phenomenal changing of leaves in autumn, Zogbé meticulously examines the intricacies of stems and leaves and strategically scatters flowers as revitalising bursts of colour against the emerald background. This painting demonstrates the virtuosity of the artist to absorb and fuse both Impressionism and Realism. Zogbé's cosmopolitan life influenced her artistic persona, prompting her to draw inspiration from various traditions — all while observing the ideas of modernism.