The lost contest is a colourful painting and is part of the City life collection. Yellow, green and blue are the dominant colours in this painting. I try to leave a visual impression for art lovers by using powerful colours and fine brush strokes. The 21th century painter Michael Parkes shows symbolic references into his paintings as can be seen by art buyers and art lovers. The prints on canvas are almost as realistic as the original oil paintings on canvas which can be found on www.haanstrafineart.nl. The lost contest can be typically categorized as a surrealistic painting combined with elements of fantastic realism and to a less extend magic realism.

Based on the music contest between Apollo and Marsyas, in which the Muzes formed the judge. Appolo won the contest, because he misled Marsyas.