Lilacs

After World War II, the means of expression available to artists were limited, yet an inner drive forced them to paint. They looked for motifs that were acceptable and at the same time politically not engaged. Landscapes and motifs of nature in general were a good platform that enabled them to keep working on approaches they considered worth studying.

Motifs of nature were significant for Kristjan Teder throughout his career, but he did not focus on the various states of the natural environment, but regarded it as being harmonious, bountiful and joyous at all times. This painting also conveys lilacs in a majestic manner, their blossoms are abundant and hanging down under their own weight. Teder has not rendered the blossoms excessively colourful, yet the conciseness of the backdrop lets the hues of the lilacs become more dominant.