'The First Day' is an example of the large, boldly coloured, abstract canvases produced by Schultze during the 1980s. Although abstract, this large diptych contains strong echoes of the apocalyptic landscapes of the old German masters such as Altdorfer and Grünewald. The influence of Surrealism and of German fantastic art can also be seen. Schultze creates art using an automatic process, making exploratory, abstract marks, which are often developed into complex patterns that suggest strange and fantastical landscapes.