Artists like Willem van Aelst, Balthasar van der Ast, Jan Brueghel the Elder and Jan Davidsz de Heem, who painted flamboyant still life and floral paint-ings set against dark backgrounds, were to have a profound effect on the many artists who followed them. Since the 18th century artists like Jan van Huysum, Severin Roesen, George Cochran Lambdin and Frederic Victor Bailey, whose work is illustrated here, have continued to paint in the grand tradition of their 17th century masters. Bailey, like the others, looked to his masters not only for subject matter, but also for technique: painting "tightly", creating porcelain-like flowers. Painting in England during the mid 20th century, his works are highly decora-tive and technically precise displaying immense artistic virtuosity. Though not much is known of his early training, one can be certain that Bailey spent many hours studying both the actual paintings of his masters and the flowers that he painted. Bailey's paintings often focus on a vase of flowers that envelop the canvas. His backgrounds are very dark, black at times, allowing his bright flowers to leap from the canvas. Like the masters he often includes snails, ants, butterflies, dragonflies and other small crea-tures; adding character and three dimensionality to his work.