Museum Collection

It’s fair to say that the Dutch and Flemish Masters of the Golden Age knew a thing or two about floral arrangements and this exuberant collection is my carefully researched contribution to their fantastic legacy. Each arrangement uses only flowers which were available to artists during the Baroque period and I employ techniques such as chequering to replicate the wonderfully sharp contrasts visible in their chiaroscuro compositions. The red and white ‘flamed’ parrot tulips I’ve sourced are a worthy nod to the beloved Semper Augustus, whilst the yellow parrots flamed with red serve well as ‘bizarres’. Where possible, I have adopted the distinctive ‘S’ shaped composition which became popular from the mid-17th century onwards – and you will of course find a sneaky beetle or two nestled amongst the flora. None of the arrangements depicted in the still life paintings ever existed in reality, but working with artificial flowers allows me to incorporate beautiful blooms from all different seasons and imagine how these artists’ stunning designs might have looked on the table of an affluent Dutch household.