Yellow tulip in the dark – Dutch still life by Jenneke Boeijink

A single yellow tulip bends gracefully from a small vase on an old wooden crate. Nothing more is needed: the curve of the stem and that one yellow against the dark tell the story. The image nods to the flower still lifes of the Dutch Masters of the Golden Age, but quieter and more modern. And what could be more Dutch than a tulip?

I made this image in my daylight studio. As a filmmaker and photographer I am always chasing the light, and with flowers I can play with it endlessly. A small shift of the window light changes the whole character of a flower.

This work is part of my series of botanical still lifes: always a single branch or a small bouquet in a simple vase, on the same old wooden table. Through that repetition the details start to speak, such as the line of a stem or the way a leaf bends. The photos also look beautiful together on the wall, as a pair or as a series.

A minimalist print that works well on a narrow wall or in a series side by side. The dark background gives the print depth on your wall. On aluminium dibond, wood or as an ArtFrame the contrast comes out beautifully; as a photo print with a passe-partout it takes on a classic look.