Original artwork description:

“Catherine the Great” is part of “In Majesty” series .
In this portrait, both solemn and disturbing, Nicolas Maureau summons the shadow of Empress Catherine II to better reveal its persistence in our imagination. Dressed in an emerald gown, the contemporary figure embodies a frozen, almost enigmatic power. The black disco ball, a substitute for the imperial orb, evokes a joyful sovereignty, while the bouquet of chamomiles (Eternal Russia) and red carnations (USSR) weaves a subtle link between monarchy and revolution. This painting, between past and present, plays on the ambiguity of signs to question the forms of power and their survival in collective memory. A silent work, yet charged with tension and historical echoes.

Materials used:

oil painting

Tags: