"Tsarouchis's still lives are small masterpieces of remarkable minimalism and rare colour sensitivity. What really amazes us is the frugality of his expressive means compared to the wealth of the final outcome."1

Arum Lillies, Irises and a rose in a terracotta vase is a splendid and truly irresistible still life of highly silhouetted leaves, stems and petals painted in a serene and joyous spirit with a remarkable radiance of iridescent and sensitive colours. This display of enthrallment with colour is akin to the pictorial world of folk art and reminiscent of the powerful immediacy and disarming sincerity of Theofilos's paintings. The whole picture is enchantingly beautiful, speaking to us in a lyrical idiom of quietude, contentment and the joie de vivre.

Discussing a similar work in the A.G. Leventis collection,2 art historian E. Arapoglou noted that "Tsarouchis's compositions are characterized by an element of openness primarily achieved through his flat backgrounds painted in neutral colours. The latter effectively highlight the details of the main theme, in this case the shining part of the clay pot or the fine contours of the irises. Once again, there is an underlying tone of Greek popular iconography in the characteristically stylised arrangement of the leaves and flowers and in the use of the azure and terracotta tones."3

1. E. Florou, Yannis Tsarouchis, His Painting and his Era [in Greek], Nea Synora - A.A. Livanis editions, Athens 1989, p. 205.
2. Compare also Departure with oval mirror, 1970, Yannis Tsarouchis Foundation, Athens, and Corfiot vase with callas, private collection, 1970.
3. The A.G. Leventis Collection, The A.G. Leventis Foundation, Athens 1989, p. 168.