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000089 Franz Xaver Pieler, Vase with Flowers, n.d., oil on wood, 26 × 21 cm

Although he lived most of his life in the 20th century, the Austrian painter, decorator and conservator Franz Xaver Pieler drew inspiration from the art of the past, in particular from the still life of the Baroque. He mainly painted florals (flower vases), which made him known to a circle of collectors, mainly in his native Austria. The small painting in the Gallery's collection is a typical example. Pieler's main model was the flower paintings of Jan Bruegel the Elder. The dark depth of the picture allows the light-coloured flowers to stand out. A vase is placed in the middle, on a wooden base. Out of the pot come the flowers (dahlias, roses, daffodils, etc.) and spread out in various directions so that the viewer can admire them in all their beauty. At the top of the bouquet are placed the most important ones, in this case two tulips: on the right a crimson one and on the left a two-coloured one (white with red details). Two-coloured tulips, such as the one painted here, were considered rare and were therefore extremely valuable. Today, scientists know that their two-colouring is due to the tulip virus (TBV), but this did not prevent the painter from depicting them, since he was not imitating nature but Baroque art.