Lilies belongs to a series of rare works that Charles Demuth completed circa 1916–17. Demuth conducted a brief experimentation in tempera, creating a distinct set of flower subjects that were a material departure from his previous watercolor explorations of the same subject matter. Demuth deviated from his earlier style by eliminating spatial depth and emphasizing the two-dimensional nature of the paintings by incorporating window and curtain elements in the foreground. A related work, entitled The Primrose is held in the collection of the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid.