Sanctified 

Sarah Joncas made this painting, Sanctified, using oil on panel. Joncas’s work, made in the early 21st century, often features young women who gaze confidently at the viewer, adorned with flowers and other natural elements. Here, the woman’s expression is direct, while the crown of leaves and berries, along with the falling leaves, place her within a tradition of representing women as figures of nature. The style recalls a pre-Raphaelite aesthetic that became popular in Britain in the mid-19th century, which took inspiration from medieval and early Renaissance painting. But it also brings to mind the romanticism of Art Nouveau, an international style that embraced organic forms. Joncas’s blend of influences suggests the way that artists today look to the past, even as they create something very much of our time. A deeper understanding might come from looking at the ways that artists have represented women and nature through history, including the role of institutions in shaping those representations.