Flora 1862

Curator: Before us, we have "Flora," a pencil drawing completed in 1862 by Johannes van der Kellen, an artist working within a Neoclassical framework. Editor: It’s incredibly elegant, in a very hushed way. The grey scale gives it a timeless quality, almost like a memory fading at the edges. A noble maiden turned to stone... or maybe a monument waiting to happen! Curator: Flora, as the Roman goddess of springtime and flowers, represents rebirth and the cyclical nature of life. Consider the cornucopia she holds. This "horn of plenty" overflows with blossoms. It’s an ancient symbol adopted by the Greeks and Romans to suggest abundance. We often see such references tied to fertility rituals as well. Editor: Yes! And that lion! She seems so still and serene holding all those flowers while that beast just crouches at her feet, I wonder at what’s coursing underneath that marble-smooth skin... The overall impression gives off a cool, graceful, untouchable aura. Curator: Note how van der Kellen uses the relatively simple medium of pencil to meticulously create tonal shifts. The drapery especially, it creates volume but also conceals. The fabric hints at the sensuality of the figure while also keeping her formally buttoned up. Editor: Oh, yes, definitely concealed sensuality! All those layers… almost as if she’s daring us to imagine what’s beneath! Perhaps she understands that there's something primal to human existence that refuses to be tamed – an animal aspect, a savage impulse—I bet is like the one caged up behind the lion's sad face. I wonder what stories he has to tell... Curator: That very ambiguity of concealing and revealing is essential to the power of classical symbols. What they make visible refers to deep structures of belief that are largely invisible. So, that sense of repressed sensuality… It is more the rule than the exception for allegories such as this. Editor: Makes one wonder, doesn't it, about all the hidden things beneath the surface... the unseen impulses behind beauty and even behind noble intention? Curator: Indeed. "Flora" is far more than just a pretty drawing. It presents a lens for contemplating the deeper currents of civilization and the symbolism that defines it. Editor: It has certainly bloomed something in my imagination… It will be worth keeping my own little mental flower shop alive.