Victoriae R VIII 2011

Patrick Pietropoli painted Victoriae R VIII in oil on canvas, though the exact date remains unconfirmed. Pietropoli’s choice to represent a statue in front of what is possibly the Royal Exchange evokes the weight of British imperial history and the symbols of power and wealth that mark London’s financial district. There’s a curious tension in this painting, though. The classical architecture is juxtaposed with the androgynous figure of the statue, and the muted, almost melancholic palette undermines the traditional narrative of triumphalism and masculine authority. The obscured face of the statue suggests a deliberate anonymity, inviting us to question the stories and the values we collectively memorialize. The solitary figure adds to the contemplative mood of the painting, inviting us to reflect on the personal and the intimate within the grand narratives of nationhood.