Flowers have a remarkable way of lightening any mood and brightening up any room or space. Their color and spontaneity add a sense of lightheartedness and unencumbered joy that little else in nature can. They are one of the few simple pleasures in life that are often taken for granted. This is illustrated well in Emil Nolde's 1950 watercolor titled Narcissi and Hyacinths. Nolde's use of color, line, texture, and naturalism allow the viewer to see what an impact these rather simple things truly have on all who view them. .
The title of the painting tells the viewer right away what they are looking at "narcissi and hyacinths. There is not much detail present in the work since it is painted in watercolor, however there is a definite shape to the flowers that allows the viewer to distinguish between the two. The entire painting is about 18 ½ inches tall and 12 ¼ inches wide and the flowers are just about life size. On the left side of the painting are the hyacinths, two small colorful bunches of flowers, one blue and the other red. These are situated next to the taller narcissi, which are long stemmed, bright yellow flowers. There is a lack of detail that makes the picture seem almost surreal. .
One of the most important aspects of the painting is the sense of balance that it projects. There is definite balance in the way that the flowers are arranged and in the way that color is distributed. The taller, brighter narcissi would normally dominate the viewer's attention and create imbalance, however, they are arranged in such a way that they stretch all the way across the top of the painting, allowing the viewer's attention to go see the entire picture. The bright yellow flowers flow from right to left, naturally drawing the viewer's eye .
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toward the smaller flowers on the left, thus creating asymmetrical balance.
This sense of balance is also achieved through the artist's use of color.