This painting was inspired by the following poem...

 

The Mysterious Blue Flower [Novalis]

He dreamed that he was sitting on the
soft turf by the margin of a fountain,
whose waters flowed into the air,
and seemed to vanish in it.
Dark blue rocks with various
colored veins rose in the distance.
The daylight around him was milder
and clearer than usual; the sky
was of a sombre hue, filling the
air with the richest perfume.
But what attracted his notice,
was a tall, light-blue flower,
which stood nearest the
fountain, and touched it
with its broad, glossy leaves…
But he saw the blue flower alone,
and gazed long upon it
with inexpressible tenderness…

 

Novalis, "Heinrich von Ofterdingen," in Gedichte,Romane