Despite a reputation as the first American futurist celebrated for his abstracted paintings of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge, Joseph Stella drew inspiration from the traditional art and landscapes of his native Italy throughout his career. Almost life size, Stella’s "Purissima" is part Christian icon, part goddess of nature—the soaring stems of the pink lilies delineate the Virgin’s throne, while the stamen of the central flower suggests her crown. In the distance are Mount Vesuvius and the outline of Capri, landmarks of the Bay of Naples, where Stella painted the work.