VICTORIAN DRAGONFLY 2022 Medium: Duplex Printed Ink on 18mm Silk Twill, Scalable Vectors. “NOT ONLY IS THE UNIVERSE STRANGER THAN WE THINK, IT IS STRANGER THAN WE CAN THINK.” - WERNER HEISENBERG, PHYSICIST
Victorian Dragonfly combines the natural beau - ty of a dragonfly with the ornate elegance of an illustrated Victorian frame. The dragonfly wings have a geometric design that echoes the late Se- cession period of Art Nouveau, similar to the art- ist Klimt. The illustrated frame is highly detailed, featuring flowers, leaves, scrolls, and curves that evoke the richness and sophistication of the Vic- torian era. As a motif, the dragonfly reappeared during the Anglo–Japanese craze of the Victorian period, along with the crane, the spider web, and the sun- flower. The dragonfly also represents victory to the samurai, and it may be the oldest design motif in Japan where it is associated with the saying, Never Give Up, since they never fly backward.
The dragonfly also symbolizes lightness,swift agility, happiness, and the transition from late summer into autumn. In some European cultures, however, the dragonfly was seen as sinister or evil, as it was believed to poke out eyes or follow snakes. It is one of the most diverse and adapt- able insects in nature. This is a captivating exam- ple of how art can combine different styles and themes to create something unique and original. It is both realistic and stylized, natural and arti- ficial, simple and complex, elegant and playful, and a technical marvel.
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