“This painting captures the luminous beauty of white lilies, rendered with such detail and light that each petal seems to glow. It's a testament to the quiet power of a simple subject, inviting a moment of focused appreciation for natural forms.”
A vibrant cluster of white lilies dominates this canvas, their petals rendered with a luminous quality that seems to glow against a softer background. Michele Elizabeth Field painted these flowers in 2004, capturing the delicate translucence of each bloom. The composition draws your eye into the heart of the bouquet, where shadows and highlights play across the intricate forms. It's a study in light and texture, where the artist uses oil paint to give the flowers a palpable sense of volume and life. The painting invites a moment of quiet contemplation, transforming a simple floral arrangement into a focal point of beauty and detailed observation. The subtle shifts in color within the white petals, from creamy ivory to cool blue-white, give the impression of natural light falling on the scene.
- Artist
- Michele Elizabeth Field
- Date
- 2004
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Location
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Observe the subtle pink blush on some of the lily petals.
Look for the delicate green stamens peeking from the center of the blooms.
Notice how the background blurs, keeping focus on the flowers.
See the varying textures in the leaves, from smooth to slightly ruffled.
Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through White Lilies — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Michele Elizabeth Field
1953–2014Michele Elizabeth Field was a painter whose later work, like 'Back on Earth,' explored themes on two canvases.
Further Works by Field
Foxgloves
2004 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Thistles
2004 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Buttercups
2005 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Daisies
2005 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Irises
2004 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Anemones
2006 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Poppies
2006 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Tulips
2006 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
More works to explore
Beyond Field: works from the same years.
Same era · 1980s–2010s
Unfinished painting
Keith Haring · 1989
Same era · 1980s–2010s
Kiki (Smith)
Chuck Close · 2000 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1980s–2010s
Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A.)
Félix González-Torres · 1991
Same era · 1980s–2010s
Near the Lagoon
Jasper Johns · 2002 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1980s–2010s
Oonagh MacCumhail: The Case of the Entered Novitiate
Matthew Barney · 2002 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1980s–2010s
American Horizon
Jane Wooster Scott · 2000 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1980s–2010s
A Torso / Toxic Drawing
Romero Britto · 2011 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1980s–2010s
Wu Street
Xu Bing · 1993 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1980s–2010s
Cremaster 2: Deseret
Birgit Cullberg · 1999 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1980s–2010s
It's a New Age
William Hook · 1992 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1980s–2010s
Blood Pool
Kiki Smith · 1992 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1980s–2010s
Alchemy of Pain
Matthew Monahan · 2006 · Art Institute of Chicago
