Flowering peonies about to burst into full bloom provide the primary focus in this elegant yet stark composition. The vase of flowers sits on a curved tabletop tilted forward altering the perception of the foreground space. Hartley's earliest works were landscapes painted in Maine where he was born. He pursued his studies in New York where he became part of the Alfred Stieglitz circle, exhibiting at the legendary Gallery 291 in 1909. Through Stieglitz, he was introduced to the work of the European modernists, notably Paul Cézanne and Henri Matisse, whose simplified forms and innovative use of color are reflected in this work. The genre of still life remained central to Hartley's production as his art evolved through a range of innovative styles.