Tulips in a Vase

Landscapes and portraits set the tone in Ants Laikmaa’s oeuvre. Only a few still-lifes are known. According to the catalogue of his works that was published in 1966, he is known to have painted his first still-life only as late as 1912, and only 11 of more than 450 registered works are still-lifes. In each of them, Laikmaa painted flowers, preferring roses, tulips and especially chrysanthemums. Here the artist has not particularly stressed details, rather he has played with juxtaposing striking surfaces of colour: colourful blossoms shine especially on the black background and the strip of yellow table in the lower part of the picture only serves to emphasise this.