In this compelling dialogue between painting and botanical art, floral designer Harriet Parry reimagines Kees van Dongen’s Tête de Femme through a sensuous and vivid floral arrangement that captures the spirit, rather than the likeness, of Van Dongen’s work. Van Dongen, a prominent figure of the Fauvist movement, was known for his bold, emotive use of colour and his striking portraits of women. In Tête de Femme, he renders the female form with exaggerated lines, saturated hues, and a sultry elegance that borders on the theatrical. The woman’s stylised features—her heavy-lidded eyes, rouged cheeks, and enigmatic expression—embody the glamour and artifice of early 20th-century Parisian bohemia.
Parry’s interpretation channels this vivid aesthetic into floral form. Rich velvety petals echo the deep reds and purples of Van Dongen’s palette, while structured stems and blooms arranged in a mask-like silhouette mirror the portrait’s stylised geometry. The result is a sensorially immersive piece that blurs the boundaries between visual art and living sculpture. More than mimicry, Parry’s work translates emotional resonance into floral language. The ephemeral quality of flowers underscores the fleeting allure captured in Van Dongen’s subject, while their scent and texture breathe new vitality into the image. Through her botanical lens, Parry invites us to reconsider both the subject and the medium: beauty, here, is both composed and constantly evolving.
Together, Van Dongen’s painting and Parry’s floral response form a cross-temporal conversation—one that explores femininity, artifice, and the enduring power of coloor to evoke feeling.
Limited Edition Signed & Numbered Giclee Print, on Hahnemühle Photo Rag.
A2 Edition of 50.
In this compelling dialogue between painting and botanical art, floral designer Harriet Parry reimagines Kees van Dongen’s Tête de Femme through a sensuous and vivid floral arrangement that captures the spirit, rather than the likeness, of Van Dongen’s work. Van Dongen, a prominent figure of the Fauvist movement, was known for his bold, emotive use of colour and his striking portraits of women. In Tête de Femme, he renders the female form with exaggerated lines, saturated hues, and a sultry elegance that borders on the theatrical. The woman’s stylised features—her heavy-lidded eyes, rouged cheeks, and enigmatic expression—embody the glamour and artifice of early 20th-century Parisian bohemia.
Parry’s interpretation channels this vivid aesthetic into floral form. Rich velvety petals echo the deep reds and purples of Van Dongen’s palette, while structured stems and blooms arranged in a mask-like silhouette mirror the portrait’s stylised geometry. The result is a sensorially immersive piece that blurs the boundaries between visual art and living sculpture. More than mimicry, Parry’s work translates emotional resonance into floral language. The ephemeral quality of flowers underscores the fleeting allure captured in Van Dongen’s subject, while their scent and texture breathe new vitality into the image. Through her botanical lens, Parry invites us to reconsider both the subject and the medium: beauty, here, is both composed and constantly evolving.
Together, Van Dongen’s painting and Parry’s floral response form a cross-temporal conversation—one that explores femininity, artifice, and the enduring power of coloor to evoke feeling.
Limited Edition Signed & Numbered Giclee Print, on Hahnemühle Photo Rag.
A2 Edition of 50.
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