The aim of this study was to discover how broadly has plant biodiversity been reflected in Estonian art during the 20th century. Biodiversity in Estonian art has not been examined quantifiably before. Plant species were identified from 600 paintings from Estonian museums, all together it yielded over 800 plant individuals of 187 species. Contrary to the initial assumption that global biodiversity loss has manifested in paintings as well, depictions of biodiversity have increased. Furthermore, the frequency of forest species in Estonian paintings has also notably grown. The results imply that nature and biodiversity have become an increasingly important source of inspiration and identity for Estonian culture.