In 1919, Stella experienced an artistic shift from depicting New York cityscapes to themes of nature as he reflected on his childhood in Italy. This shift is evident when we consider that he created one of the great works of his lifetime, ‘Tree of Life’ 1919-1920, his work prior to 1919 focused more on a futurist linear style. Paintings of New York from this period were to to be preludes and sketches that led to his ‘Brooklyn Bridge’ work of 1939.

The non-representational foliage is framed within a leaf shape. The image looks as through this foliage is reflected upon a leaf or perhaps shows the vascular side of a leaf. Stella plays with the relationship between the internal and the external as the boundaries of the drawing reflect the form within. A flowering body etched into a landscape which, in its abstraction could describe either a close up of a leaf or a landscape.

The interior image evokes the underbelly of a leaf however also represents a pear, a popular fruit in Italy. In Stella’s use of the pear symbol, drawing from his nostalgia for home, he uses the description of tropical to exoticise his homeland of Italy. He missed the warmer climate, the birds, the trees and fruits, this can be felt in this charming and contemplative work.