The podgy princess 2002 Oil on canvas Image size: 50 x 75cm Framed size: 55 x 80cm Detail view: 
Identified as the Infanta, the image, of course, refers to the famous Velasquez paintings of the king's little daughter, over dressed in an elaborate hieratic costume. A bit like Alice, but younger, she is weighed with serious thoughts and intricacies, and with ambiguities of shifting reality. Dumpy and dwarfed by her absurd court outfit, she holds a soft dove to her bulbous head. She is made of shadows and smudges, erratic blooms of lights and grainy textures.The angle of the figure may suggest she is falling (again, like Alice), or at least lop- sided. The text in the painting - INFANTA ANDANTE IN TAFFETA - is like a quasi Latin title from an old Spanish picture. The musical term 'andante' - moderately slowly - may remind the viewer of Ravel's grave and poignant 'Pavanne for a dead infanta'. Taffeta refers to the luxurious finery of the dress - ridiculous attire for a little girl. The words inscribed form a little poem. It has multiple rhymes (in / and / ant / ta / te / etc.). These rhymes are echoed in the repeated shapes of the limited number of eight letters that form it, and each letter has its own colour. It is a little crystal of artifice to go with the royal portrait |
© 2007 All rights reserved. Origination by Di Conradie.