Piet Mondrian pioneered abstract painting. But he kept painting flowers — flowers that our critic Jason Farago can’t stop thinking about. What makes them so magnetic?

Do you want to bring a little fun to your outdoor space or indoor garden? With a little paint, you can take a basic flower pot from plain to artfully unique.

Flowers and birds were favorite subjects of paintings in ancient China, offering a kind of special aesthetic interest. Flower-and-bird painting originated from the Tang Dynasty (618-907).