Tulpen 1913 - 1915

Christian Rohlfs made this painting of tulips, probably in Germany, with what looks like bold strokes of watercolor. The way Rohlfs layers these colors—the greens, blues, reds—it’s like he’s not just painting what he sees, but how it feels to be among these flowers, how the light dances. Look at the top left corner, you can see these blues and purples swirling together, they're almost vibrating, like the air on a hot day. It’s the kind of mark-making that feels immediate, like he’s capturing a fleeting moment. The brushstrokes themselves are so present, you can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper. It reminds me a little bit of Emil Nolde, that same raw, emotional use of color. It's a reminder that art isn't about perfection, it’s about expression, and Rohlfs captures that perfectly.