Clémence Roth‘s “Little Girl with an Orange” reminds me of my childhood when I visited open air markets with my mother, Frances. Oranges always caught my attention. The colour orange has a vibrant energy that entices us to look closer.
The orange, reverently held in the girl’s tiny hand, adds joy and a sense of spontaneity to the painting. The setting is inside but the clothing is for the winter season. Was she coming in or waiting to go out into the cold?
There is very little that I could find out about the artist, Clémence Roth, except for two short paragraphs on the Stair Sainty website, which noted that she was among young women artist who experienced early success in the 1880’s and 90s. In 1887 a group of thirty-three was founded. Clémence Roth joined this group.
From the Stair Sainty website: Clémence Roth’s portraits, such as the Young Girl with an Orange in the Musée des Beaux Arts, Morlaix, there is a certain detachment from the subject that gives her work a very particular identity. Clémence Roth was of Jewish birth, Roth her married name but little else is known of her family or artistic education, although we know she was one of several women artists who Alfred Stevens, at the time one of the most renowned contemporary painters, encouraged to spend time in his studio. Roth did not entirely confine herself to oils but also worked in pastels – one such was exhibited in the 1888 show of women painters and sculptors.
ChasingART 
How did I miss this?
She is adorable. You must have been adorable. How wonderful this painting reminded you of yourself as a young girl with Frances!
Cheers and hugs to both of you!
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Just up with Frances and passed on your lovely message on to her. She was delighted to hear from you. Sending many hugs from both of us across the miles!
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Loved your post about this wonderful painting, Rebecca. Thank you for highlighting another woman artist who should be better known.
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I agree, Dave. I searched for more information, but alas it was not to be. I have a feeling that, if I had paid more attention in my French language studies/classes, that I would be able to access websites located within France. Alas!!!!
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🍊
✨🙏🕉🌱🌿🌳🌻💚🕊☯🐉✨
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Thank you!!
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It’s such a charming image. Oranges were considered special treats once upon a time. Perhaps this one was from the little girl’s Christmas stocking.
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I was thinking the same thing, Mandy. There is a festive quality in this photo that speaks of this special season. I love the hand muff and am looking into the history. I used to have one when I was a child and they are still available. I found a pattern for those who enjoy sewing.
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Oh, that’s such fun to know about the hand muff. You are now the only person I know who has used one.
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It kept my hands much warmer than mittens. Now to find the pattern!!!
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Oranges were special treats when I was a young girl… as were bananas.
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Oranges always reminded me of 1) Christmas or 2) Summer afternoons. They are always a treat and a celebration. Hugs!
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That’s so interesting! My grandparents in NZ treated bananas like gold. I thought that was fascinating because I lived in Fiji and bananas were everywhere. The treat for us was an apple. They were imported and special. My mother rationed them!
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I can only imagine how tasty those bananas were, Mandy. They were fresh off the tree to you. They didn’t make a long voyage over to our side of the world. We had plenty of apples on our side of the world. Your comments sent me on a mini-research project. I did not know that bananas are believed to have originated up to 10,000 years ago and some scientists believe that they may have been the world’s first fruit. And here I thought it was the apple. I continue to learn and learn and learn!
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I didn’t know that about the banana’s history either. But it isn’t it fun that a girl with an orange has led us to the origin of bananas?
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And that is the best part of adventures, isn’t it, Mandy!? I love those amazing digressions that lead us down the rabbit hole with Alice.
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An apple! That was our most common treat!
Thing here is fruits were treats. We rarely had candy, chocolate, soft drinks, ice-cream, cake etc. that was for Christmas, Hallowe’en, Easter & birthdays.
I believe this gave us a healthy childhood. That and the disgusting spoonful of cod liver oil every morning in the winter.
Cheers to you, Gallivanta!
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Ah, we were spared the cod liver oil but, yes, we were allowed to eat as much tropical fruit as we could handle. We rarely had processed sugar at all, and sweets, cakes etc were given to us occasionally. The funny thing was that when I was given them I didn’t really care for them anyway. The first time I ate chocolate I felt so ill that I vowed to never eat it again. And I didn’t until I was 21! But, oh bother, then I fell in love with it because it no longer made me feel ill. 😀
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Isn’t it fun to fall in love with chocolate!!!
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😀 Oh, yes, indeed.
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