Beyond the Peonies

On the cusp of womanhood, Eve is unaware of the snake hidden within the flowers of her perfect garden. The grandiose blooms, iridescent hummingbird, and lively monarch butterfly capture her attention, while the snake—whose head peeks out from the roses on the left, just under Eve’s hand—waits patiently, biding its time until the right moment to impart life’s lessons upon the innocent. Layered with 18- and 24-karat gold, the allegorical painting captures the transition from adolescence to adulthood, that in-between stage when innocence, noted by the lustrous string of pearls, and knowledge, symbolized by the snake, begin its dance.

Exhibitions