Monogram Painting

A few years ago, the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg opened a branch in Amsterdam. The first exhibition of the Hermitage there was dedicated to Russian tsars, to their glory and protocols in the 19th century. One of the masterpieces was the Maid-of-honour monogram of Tsarina Alexandra Fjodorovna. Made of gold, silver, diamonds and glass the large monogram reflected the wealth of a dynasty. In this painting, I made a collage of different elements dealing with personal background, with European history, with matters concerning the complex faith of individuals and of a society, balancing between high ideals on the one side, and material interests on the other. The wedding couple is inspired by a family photograph of the ‘20s. The bottom of the monogram as a symbol of conservatism, materialism and power is anchored in the earth while the top of the letter “A” reaches the bride’s heart. Behind the couple, there is an armor of feathers, referring to polish hussards who fought in the past against their aggressors to insure their own independence and eventual survival. Here, the feathers are a symbol of the resistance of minorities against their oppressors, but also the symbol of spiritual freedom of mind. I used self-made sepia paint with oil painting to recollect the past.The atmosphere of the painting is loaded, dusty.

Painting:Oil on Canvas

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:59.1 W x 78.7 H x 0.8 D in

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