Spirit of the Sunflower 1934

"Spirit of the Sunflower" (1934) by Valentine Hugo is a striking depiction of a dead butterfly impaled on a thorny stem, dripping blood into a glass box. The artist's signature, "Valentine Hugo 34," appears in the lower left corner. The work, likely executed in pen and ink, evokes a sense of fragility and decay. The use of light and shadow creates a dramatic mood, while the meticulous detail of the butterfly's wings and the thorny plant underscores the intricate and unsettling nature of the subject matter. Hugo's work often explored themes of nature, death, and the ephemeral nature of life, making this piece a powerful testament to those explorations.