Tulips

From the museum

At first glance, this painting is a straightforward still life in which the glow of red blossoms is heightened by a cool green and turquoise interior. Knowing that Tulips was painted in the spring of 1914 shortly before the outbreak of World War I, however, suggests a melancholy atmosphere. In this context, the dark vertical stripe behind the flowers has been interpreted as symbolic of the threat of war. Matisse once wrote that he felt as though all the natural charm was lost from a bouquet of flowers picked from his garden when he arranged them.

The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC0