Author of the book, art historian Dace Lamberga maintains that there is no other artist in Latvian art whose work would resemble that of Rūdolfs Pērle.
Rūdolfs Pērle as a personality and an artist was very clearly following his own creative path; he was a vividly individualistic, detached, inimitable creative spirit. In his essential being, the painter felt an affinity for the Latvian mentality, although he allowed pan-human themes and moods to prevail in his art, reaching across territorial boundaries and ethnic differences.
Dace Lamberga
Pērle’s creative work is related to symbolism, moreover, he is considered the only true symbolist of the Latvian art. His landscape drawings, oil and watercolour paintings are dominated by ghostly, fantastic imagery and unreal forms. Yet it is his floral still lifes created in watercolour technique that should be distinguished as a special part of his oeuvre. We will not find in early 20th century Latvian art any other painter so fascinated by the amazing and elusive forms of flowers, their gentle colourfulness and changing appearance.
It is known that Rūdolfs Pērle recognised the Lithuanian symbolist painter Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis as one of the most significant artists of the epoch. Although being contemporaries, both artists never met each other.
The book about Rūdolfs Pērle is a long cherished manifestation of the new series "Classics of Latvian Art". The series includes books of medium size, offering an easily perceptible information about Latvian classical artists and their works. Similar to the "Studija Library" the series "Classics of Latvian Art" is intended as bilingual (Latvian/English), richly illustrated publications. An attractive supplement at the end of each book is a timeline where the life of Latvian artists can be viewed within the context of world events, revealing connections, parallels or just interesting coincidences.