George W Lambert's still life 'Tulips and other stimulants' presents the viewer with a complex composition and indicates his interest in formal design. The painting's title playfully alludes to the aromatic and intoxicating qualities of the objects it depicts: a jug of tulips and a single rose, a basin of ripe fruit, a decanter of red wine and a wine glass. The objects are artificially arranged in shallow representational space, upon a patterned tablecloth and mottled backdrop. A review published in the Sydney Morning Herald in 1927 noted, 'Except for a certain flatness in the treatment of the jug, the painting is subtle and strong, brilliant in tone and texture'. The flatness of the work reflects its modernist underpinnings: elements are simplified with a particular emphasis on pattern, texture and colour.